BOYS & GIRLS
by VeroGeller
Summary: [LAST CHAPTER UP!] Ross and Rachel had managed to become great friends... but what will happen when feelings get all mixed up?. R&R story with a bit of C&M and J&P. Please read and review
1. BOYS & GIRLS 1

BOYS & GIRLS - Chapter 1  
  
Rachel and Monica have been friends ever since they could remember. When they started highschool nothing of this change, even when Rachel was one of the most popular girls at school and Monica was really fat.  
  
Monica had an older brother, who was 2 years older than her, Ross was a very smart and shy guy, who loved Dinasaurs and everything related to them, but for Monica he was just a big geek. He'd always had a crush on his sister friend, but never did anything about it, after all she was one of the most popular girls at school, and he was just a geek, and then there was another reason, every time he was near to Rachel the words simply didn't want to come out, usually making him made a fool of himself.  
  
Our story begins at Monica and Rachel's freshman year at the NYU, while Ross was on his 3th year.  
  
The girls arrived to this new life filled with expectations for their new life, and completly willing to live everything that was on their future. Monica lost an amazing amount of weight that summer, and was almost as thin as Rachel, so she felt like nothing could stop her now to find the man of her dreams, while Rachel was just getting over the horrible break up with her first boyfriend, so wasn't exactly looking for a new 'romance', she just wanted to have fun. "I hate commitments now, why limits yourself when there's a whole world of possibilities out there" she always told Monica everytime her friends started to talk about how she wanted to find her soulmates now that they were at the University  
  
"Look, we are in the same bedroom... we're gonna be roomies Mon!, this was good luck, I didn't wanna share my room with anybody else", said Rachel while they were looking at the bedrooms list. "Yeah, it was LUCK the one that help us, specially after all the begging we did back there". The girls started to laugh. "But look, there says that we're gonna be sharing our room with another girl.... Phoebe Buffay.... how do you think she's like". "I thought it was gonna be just both of us... but hey, if this girl is too weird we always can go and live with my brother. He lives in a huge house like two blocks from the University with a couple of friends".  
  
Rachel stare at Monica amazed. "A house full of guys?!.... why didn't you tell me about it before?!.... oh no no no no wait... wait, those are your brother's friends, right?.... they must be a bit geeky, aren't they?... no ofence Mon". Monica laugh at her friend's reaction  
  
"I know, that's why I didn't tell you anything about it before, I didn't think about it when my parents told me, beside one of those friends is that guy who called me fat last thanksgivin, remember him?"  
  
"That weird guy who hated thanksgivings and who you thought was cute?... of course I remember him.... you never got back at him tough"  
  
"Maybe this year Rach, maybe this year"  
  
*~*  
  
Ross and his friends, Chandler, Joey and Steve (let's say he looks like Justin Timberlake) were sitting in their favourite couch, on their favourite place, 'Central Perk'. They hang out there most of the time. Joey was studing theatre in an academy near NYU, well he used to study really, cause he had already finnished, and now was focused on finding a job, going to every audition he could; Steve's major was literatury, but what he really liked was partying and fooling around with all the girls he could... he and Joey were the womanizers of the group, they always managed to get the most atractive girls in campus, but the difference between them was that Steve was more like a player, he liked to get involved in relationships with them and then cheat, he said it was more amuzing than just one night stand sex, cause there was always the chance to get caught and that was more exciting; the last friend, but not the least, was Chandler, nobody really knew what his major was, all they knew was that it was something to do with numbers, but they weren't even sure about that, he hardly went to classes, and when he did, he was always late, yet somehow he had excellent grades, and never had failled any asignature ever.  
  
"When does your sister gets here Ross?.... can I meet her?" asked Steve with a smile  
  
"Doesn't she arrived today Ross, she and YOUR precious Rachel, who you've been talking about non stop for the past 2 month" said Chandler in a sarcastic kind of way  
  
Ross, who was drinking his coffe jump of his sit, he totally forgot about her sister arriving that day "God My sister!!.... I completly forgot about her.... AND AND RACHEL!!!.... I hope they're oke... I better get going"  
  
Ross grabed his jacket and stormed out the coffe house  
  
"Geez!" said Joey with the mouth full of food "he's been talking about this Rachel girl for like 2 months and now he forgets... how stupid"  
  
"yeah, he's the stupid one" said Chandler  
  
*~*  
  
Ross arrived to the bedrooms building as fast as he could. It had been more than a year since the last time he saw Rachel, and that last time had been awful, he got so nervous that had drope and broke a plate, 4 glasses, and spilled a little soda on Rachel's new shirt. But he wasn't a nervous 17 years old boy anymore looking at the most popupar girl in school, he was a man now and he was gonna ask her out, this was gonna be his year, and this was gonna be his chance to be with the girl he has been in love with ever since he was 15. This tought draw a huge smile on his face, while he was entering the bulding  
  
*~*  
  
Monica and Rachel's new bedroom wasn't what they expected, at least not Rachel, it was smaller than her bedroom at home and had 3 beds, a desk next to the windows, wich had some really old an ugly courtains. Next to the bathroom door (wich by the way was as small as the bedroom) was a small closet... Seen the small size of the closet Rachel freaked out. "Here's not enough room for all my clothes, or my shoes!!"  
  
"I told you Rach not to bring all your clothes, just the one you normally use"  
  
"THIS IS THE ONE I NORMALLY USE MONICA!, this is terrible, where are you gonna put your clothes.... and that Phoebe girl?!... and what am I gonna do with the rest of my clothe... and my shoes?!"  
  
Monica had to speak lauder for Rachel to listened to her. "Rachel CALM DOWN!!, this closet is for the three of us, so you will have to send back a couple of bags.... see I just bought one, but I think if we get organized and put everything methodicaly arranged, you know.... the way I DO IT at home, the lack of space won't be a issue....but you still have to return a bag". Monica's voice was faster and lauder while she was talking, she loved everything related to been organized giving orders to other people  
  
"You know Mon, you gave me a headache.... why don't we just wait for Phoebe and we'll talk about it, ok?"  
  
Without been notice by the two friends a blond girl dressed with hippy clothes entered the bedroom holding a guitar. "You're Monica and Rachel" Phoebe's commet took Rachel and Monica off guard, making them jump out of fear. "I'm Phoebe, Phoebe Buffay.... I feel like I know you from another life... you two have a really wonderful aura.... by chance any of you used to be alive by the Victorian times?"  
  
Rachel and Monica looked at each other not knowing really what to answer, this girl was weird, but both of them felt she was really nice and sweet  
  
"Hi, I'm.... I'm Rachel Greene" Rachel was he first one to speak  
  
"And I'm Monica Geller"  
  
"I knew that, I've known you two were gonna be my roommates for a long time, I'm psychic!"  
  
"You're what?!" asked Rachel  
  
Phoebe looked at her for a couple of seconds and then answered "You want your major to be fashion. And you..." said looking at Monica "don't really know what you wanna do, cause you like to cook, but you think your parents may not like you to be a cooker, and that's killing you.... ow, and you used to be really fat in high school"  
  
Monica looked at Rachel really scared.... now that was weird, the girl was weirder than they thought  
  
"How do you know that?" managed Monica to ask  
  
"I told you, I'm psychic" sai Phoebe matter of factly  
  
"Wow... this is great... you're gonna be really useful for knowing the test question and everything" said Rachel very excited  
  
A couple of knock on the door interrupted the girl's conversation. When she opened the door, Rachel saw Ross standing in the hallway, who by the way was already pale. "My God, she's even more beautiful than I remember..." he thought  
  
"Eeeeh.... well..... I....." he tried to speak  
  
"Hey Ross" said Rachel trying to not laugh at her friend's brother, she wasn't sure why, but Ross always seems to be really clumsy when she was near her, and his reaction were always really amuzing. "Monica, your brother's here!"  
  
Monica came to the door while Rachel was heading to her bed to carry on her conversation with Phoebe. "Hey Ross... what are you doing here?"  
  
Ross kept on looking at Rachel and still feeling really nervous, and also very dumb... he had done it again, he hasn't been able to put himself together in front of Rachel.... she may be thinking he's stupid or something. "I came to see how you guys were... if you needed something... to give you my phone number and my adress and to see if you wanted me to give you a tour arond the campus... or anything you need"  
  
Rachel looked at Ross, he was really sweet she thought "You're really sweet Ross, thanks, but we just arrived and now we are kind of unpacking you know, trying to settle down, maybe later we can give you a call for that tour thing"  
  
Ross couldn't believe Rachel was talking to him "stop acting like a teenage girl Ross.... BE A MAN!" he thought to himself "Ok.... see you then..."  
  
He was about to leave the room when Monica said "wait wait, let me introduce you to our roommate.... Phoebe, this is Ross Geller, my geeky older brother, Ross this is Phoebe Buffay"  
  
"Nice to meet you Phoebe.... and I'm not geeky Monica!"  
  
"Oh you're not stutterer!!, YAY!, I was starting to feel sorry for you....why so nervous Ross?!"  
  
Ross looked at Rachel, who wasn't paying attention to him anymore, trying to decide wich clothes she was gonna send back home "I'm.... I'm not nervous"  
  
Phoebe looked at Ross and then at Rachel, understanding right away what was going through the guy's head "Oooh.... I see.... don't worry though, she's your lobster.... everything will turn out good"  
  
"She's my what?!...." said Ross not really getting what the weird girl was trying to say  
  
"Uff.... long story.... the lobster thing is a whole theory, other day I'll tell you about it.... all I can tell you now is that you have to trust me, I'm a psychic, and I feel this story" Phoebe pointed to Rachel and to Ross "will end up really good.... I can't tell you more though...."  
  
Ross looked weirdly at Phoebe... "she's weird, but nice" thought... "I hope so"  
  
Ross' cell phone started to ring, he quickly answered it "Hello?"  
  
"hey Dude" Chandler's voice came from the phone "why don't you invite the girls over, so we can meet YOUR famous Rachel"  
  
"Shhhh" said Ross, worried that Rachel could hear anything "Ok, I'll tell them"  
  
"And bring some beers... Steve just drank the last one" said Chandler.  
  
"And Pizzas!!!" Ross could hear Joey's voice screaming maybe from the other side of the room  
  
"Ok, on my way home I'll buy some beers and some pizzas, keep Joey away from the fridge though.... don't let him eat the ice, remember the other day he got really sick and screw our plans"  
  
"Yes mum, I'll take care of the baby" said sarcasticly Chandler  
  
Ross hang off the phone and looked at Monica, trying not to watch Rachel to keep himself calm. "That was Chandler, remember him Mon?, he's the guy I invited over last thanksgiving" Monica looked at Rachel who started to laugh. "Well, he told me to invite you guys over.... I mean, when you're done with the unpacking and stuff, so you can meet them..."  
  
"It sounds like fun" said Rachel "beside we haven't met anyone yet, appart from Phoebe, of course. I don't wanna spend the first day here in this room"  
  
"How many 'friends' are we talking about?" asked Phoebe  
  
"3, I mean.... we are 4, Chandler, Joey, Steve and me, but I don't think Steve will be at home, he had a date"  
  
"So there would be 6 of us, 3 boys and 3 girls, 3 couples.... we could all hook up" said Phoebe winking at Ross "I'm going!!"  
  
"Ok, I'll go" said Monica "but please say to your friend Chandler not to come even close to me, ok?"  
  
"Ok" said Ross looking at Monica weidly  
  
*~*  
  
It was 8:30 in the afternoon, the girls had agreed to be there by 9, and Ross was running around the house like crazy, yelling at Chandler and Joey to change their clothes and stop watching 'Baywatch', and to Steve to get out of the bathroom, so he could take a shower, cause Rachel and the rest (that was the way he refered to the girls) would be arriving anytime soon, and the house was a mess  
  
"Chill out Ross" said Steve "beside, who's gonna score tonight?, you with that girl who you don't even talk with? or me?"  
  
"That's not the point, beside Rachel is more than a girl to 'score' with, ok?... and hurry up!"  
  
Joey and Chandler were still on the couch watching their favourite tv show  
  
"Do you think this Rachel chick is hot?" asked Joey  
  
"I wouldn't trust Ross' taste in woman.... remember Carol?"  
  
"the lesbian one?"  
  
"Yeah, that one.... she wasn't that hot"  
  
Joey closed his eyes and said "oooooh yeah, the way I remembered she really was HOT... hehehe"  
  
Ross approced them really mad and said "you two are like old ladies gossiping, could you please go change?...."  
  
"Ok dude... we're going, we're going...." said both of them while they were standing up the couch, and going upstairs to their bedrooms  
  
A half hour later the belldoor ringed, Steve, who was on his way out, openes the door. Rachel, Monica and Phoebe were there, but only Rachel was standing in front of the door, the other girls were behind her.  
  
Steve looked at the girl standing in front of him, and thought that maybe she was by far the most beautiful woman he's ever seen "Hi, can I hel you?"  
  
"Oh my God!" thought Rachel when Steve opened the door "never thought Ross would have so hot friends, I hope he stays all night.... I hope he doesn't have a girlfriend....". She finally managed to say "is this Ross' house?"  
  
"Yeah, come on in.... Steve Moore, nice to meet you"  
  
"Rachel" she said "Rachel Greene.... a pleasure"  
  
"So this is Rachel" Steve thought "now I can understand why Ross can say a word when he's near her..... this sure will be fun"  
  
The other 2 girls finally aproached to the door too  
  
"Rachel, are you even help us with this ba....." said Monica, looking at Steve "Hi!"  
  
Steve keep on looking at Rachel, clearly flirting with her, while he helped Monica and Phoebe with the bags "Ross, your guest are here!"  
  
Ross was standing by the kitchen door, looking the whole scene, not believing that he so called friend was so obviously flirting with the one woman he loved. "Yeah, I saw.... come on in. Rachel, Monica, Phoebe.... please sit down.... I believe you alredy met Steve.... don't you had a date mate?, and you don't wanna be late... I mean, you're gonna score tonight, don't you?" said looking at his 'friend' really pissed  
  
"Yeah dude.... I'm leaving now...."  
  
Ross grabbed Steve by the harm and lead him to the door  
  
"What's your problem Ross?, I was just trying to be nice with your sister and her friends"  
  
"You were been TOO NICE with Rachel"  
  
"She didn't mind" said Steve, half joking.... "don't worry man, I'm not gonna go for her", "at least not now" completed the sentence in his head  
  
"Please Steve, get away from her, that's all I'm asking... as a friend"  
  
"ok, ok.... chill out"  
  
"Goodbye girls" said Steve from the door before he left, Rachel looked disapointed.  
  
Chandler and Joey were coming down stairs, Monica looked at Chandler  
  
"Look Rach, there's Chandler... I didn't remember he was THAT cute"  
  
Rachel wasn't paying much attention to Monica, she was thinking about Steve "Do you think Steve has a girlfriend?, do you think he'll ask me out?"  
  
Monica wasn't paying attention at what Rachel was saying either "I think I could even forgive him for calling me fat"  
  
Ross approached to the girls interrumping their 'conversation'. "this are my other roommates and friends, this is Joey, and this is Chandler.... and they are Monica, my sister... you remember her, right Chandler?"  
  
Chandler stare at Monica for a while, Ross had told him that her sister had lost a lot of weight.... but he didn't thought she was this beautiful "Hi Monica", he said in a shylish kind of way  
  
"She's Rachel" said Ross starin at Rachel with loving eyes  
  
Joey looked at her and said "How U doing?!", but it took only one stare from Ross to regret saying it. "Sorry.... hi Rachel"  
  
"And this is Phoebe, Monica and Rachel's roommate" said finally Ross  
  
"Hi Joey" said Phoebe, clearly flirting with him  
  
The night went by between beers, pizzas, laughs and conversations. Steve got home early, and spent the entire night talking to Rachel. Ross couldn't believe what his friend was trying to do, he knew, Steve knew how much Rachel meant to him, he had listened every time he spoke about her, how his crushed started in 9th grade. Steve was flirting with her in front of him, and the worst part was that she was flirting back  
  
"Cool off man" said Chandler "I don't think he wants to date her". Chandler was obviously lying, he knew Steve too well, what he really liked was sleeping with hot girls, and Rachel certainly was hot.  
  
"That bastard!, I swear if he ask her out I'm gonna beat him till his face and his *** look exactly the same"  
  
Chandler started to laugh "Really?, remember the last time you tried to beat a guy?, 2 black eyes, and a broken rib, and the dude was fine"  
  
"Now it's different... Rachel is in the middle of it, look, I don't care that she dates guys, I don't even have the corage to talk to her, and I've been living putting this feelings aside for a really long time, what I don't want is seeing how she gets hurt, I don't want him to use her, and broke her heart like he does with all the girls". Chandler could see how serious his friend was about this whole thing and stopped laughing.  
  
"Mon, can I talk to you for a second?" asked Ross  
  
"yeah, right... tell me"  
  
"I want you to tell Rachel that she must be really careful with Steve, she better not get involved with him, I know him, and he's just gonna hurt her, that's what he does"  
  
"Are you serious?, or are you just saying this cause you still have a 'thing' for Rachel?"  
  
"I'm serious Monica, and I don't have a 'thing' for her"  
  
"Yeah right, but don't worry I'll talk to her"  
  
When the girls left at 3 am Steve, Chandler and Ross walked them home. Joey had fall asleep in the couch, and they didn't want to wake him up. Ross was looking at Rachel and Steve the whole time  
  
"Ok, this is us" said Rachel when they arrived the bulding "thanks for walk us home guys. And you..." she looked at Steve "call me".  
  
"Ok, I'll call you and we arranged everything for our date". With Steve's words Ross' heart broke into 1000 pieces.  
  
"Well" said Monica "Steve, Ross, Chandler, thanks for everything... I'm kind of tired"  
  
Phoebe, who fell sleep next to Joey in the couch said: "bhhhhyhshdey"  
  
"I think she ment 'bye'" said Rachel laughing, Phoebe was practicly sleeping standing. "Bye guys, thanks for everything Ross"  
  
And with that the 3 girls went into the bulding 


	2. BOYS & GIRLS 2

BOYS & GIRLS - Chapter 2  
  
The girls entered their bedroom, quickly Phoebe went to the bathroom to brush her teeth while Monica and Rachel sat on Rachel's bed to talk about what just happened  
  
"I have to say Monice, that I wasn't really sure about hang out with your brother and his friends today, but I had a wonderful time"  
  
"I bet you did" said Monica, "Steve spent the whole night flirting with you"  
  
"Yeah, he's so cute" said Rachel with a daydreaming look on her face  
  
Phoebe got out of the bathroom and Rachel and Monice entered to brush their teeths  
  
"I didn't really liked him" said Phoebe "I mean, don't get me wrong, he's H O T, but he doesn't look like a nice person"  
  
"But Pheebs, did you look his eyes?" asked Rachel from the bathroom "he has the most wonderful green eyes I've even seen, how can he not look like a nice person if he looks like an angel"  
  
"I was just saying" said Phoebe "I'm telling you what I thought, just warning you"  
  
Monica got out of the bathroom after Rachel and said "my brother told me you should be careful with him, he told me that Steve is a player, he likes to fool around with as many girls as he can, normally have sex with them and then dump them"  
  
"I can't believe you guys, I like him ok, and if I start to believe that every guy is gonna hurt me I'd never get to date anymore. Beside it's not like I want him to be my boyfriend or anything, you know I don't like that kind of commitments"  
  
*~*  
  
As soon as the 3 guys arrived home Ross couldn't take it anymore and explote, he was really mad at Steve, and not just mad, he also was hurt, cause he 'so called friend' had betrayed him  
  
"AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A FRIEND?" yelled Ross  
  
"Your over reacting buddy, calm down" said very relaxed Steve  
  
"DON' CALL ME BUDDY, I'M NOT YOUR BUDDY!"  
  
"So we're going on a date, it's not a big deal, it isn't like I'm asking her to be my girlfriend, or proposing to her. You still can date her in a couple of months... or weeks, who knows"  
  
"RIGHT, AFTER YOU'VE ALREADY SLEPT WITH HER AND BROKE HER HEART, LIKE EVERY OTHER GIRL YOU'VE DATE!!"  
  
"Look Bro,...."  
  
"I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND, AND DIFFENETLY NOT YOUR 'BRO'" said Ross with his voice full of anger  
  
"Calm down already.... I'm getting tired of this.... she's just a girl, it's not worth jeopardise our friendship just because a girl.... beside, after I'm through with her I'm gonna have a lot of information that can be really useful for you, you know, what she likes, how she likes, where she likes.... if you know what I mean"  
  
Ross couldn't stand any more of the things Steve was saying and punched him so hard that even his fist hurt  
  
"ASSH0LE!!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!!.... MY NOSE!!" Yelled the Steve, who was lying on the floor covering his face with his hands  
  
Chandler heared all the yelling coming from downstairs and went down to see what was happening  
  
"Could you cut it off!... I'm trying to sle.... Steve, you're bleading!" said Chandler  
  
"THIS ASSH0LE punched me.... I don't know what got into him!!"  
  
Ross was rubbing his hand, that still was recented by the hit "AND HAPPYLY I'LL DO IT AGAIN!!"  
  
After saying that Ross stormed out the living room, and went upstairs, slaming his bedroom door. Now everything would be harder than he though, he wouldn't just have to fight his own demons to be near Rachel, cause that wouldn't be enough after Steve broke her heart, she wouldn't wanna be near anything that remain her of him, and after all Ross was the one who introduce them, so she probably wouldn't want to see him either. Now he would have Rachel so close, but yet so far... everything was screwed.  
  
But Phoebe had told him that same day that everything will turn out good. "What the hell does she know?", he said to himself.  
  
*~*  
  
The following months were horribles for Ross, wherever he went there were Rachel and Steve. After their first date they keep on seeing each other everyday. Everytime Ross arrived home after classes it was a fact that Rachel would be there. After his fight with Steve they haven't spoke a word to each other, but he was sure that his ex-friend was enjoing seeing how much he was suffering everytime he saw Rachel kissing him or hugging him. What hurt him the most was the day he woke up and saw Rachel having breakfast on the kitchen table by herself. Steve had already slept with her and already was slipping away  
  
"Hey Rachel, did you..... uhm.... slept here?" he asked, not really wanting to hear the answear.  
  
"Hi Ross... yeah.... I did" said Rachel really relaxed  
  
"And.... and where's Steve?"  
  
"He had to go to classes, I'm just finnishing this cup of coffe and I'll be out of here"  
  
"No rush Rach, you can stay as long as you want.... so, 3 months with Steve huh?, I though you hated commitments"  
  
"Isn't crazy what fall head over hills can do to a person?"  
  
"So... so.... you... you're in love with him?" asked Ross, really nervous  
  
"Yeah, I think.... I mean, I feel something very strong for him"  
  
So she was already in love with him, Ross thought, and they've been together for 3 month.... that was weird... at this point in any of the relationship Steve had had ever since he has known him the girl was out of the picture already, but yet somehow he and Rachel seems to be doing it pretty good, she looked so happy. "He hasn't cheated on her" he tought, but how could he be sure, they didn't speak to each other, and Joey and Chandler were also really mad at Steve, he had no way to know if the guy was already seen another girls, but it seemed that he wasn't cause he and Rachel were together all the time. Maybe Steve was doing all this just to pissed him off, but why?, Ross had always been a really good friend to him, he even let him live in his house rent free when he got kicked out the bedrooms.... there simply wasn't a right answer.  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel was happy, Steve was really sweet with her, Monica and Phoebe had been wrong when they told her that he wasn't a good guy. He would go and pick her up everyday after she finnished her classes, he gave her flowers, and when he kissed her, he made her feel like there was nobody else around them. It took her a while to decided to finally sleep with him, they've been together for 3 months when it finally happen. Before Steve she had only slept with one guy, her highschool boyfriend, Chip Matthews, the same guy who broke her heart the day of her prom, when she caught him having sex with Amy Welch, since that day, this whole sex thing had been an issue, cause the only guy she had share that kind of intimacy had betrayed her, hurt her and broke her heart in so many pieces that she couldn't even got them all together once it all happened, she was terrified to get hurt again, but Steve wasn't like Chip or at least that was what she keep on saying in her head over and over again  
  
But this last week he hasn't been calling her or going to pick her up like he normally did, and she was starting to get really worried about it. "Come on Rach, stop thinking so many stupid things, he must be really busy, the semester is almost over, and he sure have a lot of things to do". She entered the bedroom, while Monica was studying and Phoebe was writting something  
  
"Did Steve called me?" she asked  
  
"No Rach, he hasn't.... but why would he called you here?, what about your cell phone?"  
  
"I had to switched it off at a couple of classes, and I thought that he maybe called me here"  
  
"I'm sorry Rach, he hasn't called you" said Monica again  
  
"How long it's been since the last time you guys talked?" asked Phoebe, putting her notebook aside  
  
"I called him yesterday, cause we haven't speak in a couple of days, he said he was kind of busy, that he had a huge test today, and he had a lot of study to do. So he said he was gonna called me today so we can get together this weekend... we haven't seen each other since last sunday  
  
"Wow... a couple of weeks ago you two where together all the time, and now you haven't even been together in almost a week, that's....."  
  
"Weird" said Phoebe  
  
"No it's not weird, it's really normal, cause we are finnishing the semester so he has a lot of test and work to do. I'm gonna go to the library to pick up a book, if Steve calls me tell him I'll be back in 30 minutes or so.... no, you know what, tell him I'll call him when I get back.... thanks"  
  
Rachel grabbed her coat and left the room, even more worried than she was. Phoebe and Monica were also really worried for her friend  
  
"Pheebs, do you think he'll call her?" asked Monica  
  
"To be honest.... I don't think so"  
  
"I'm sure he's cheating on her"  
  
"How do you know that?.... are you psychic too?"  
  
"My brother told me that that was what Steve does, he goes out with a girl for a while till he gets boared and then starts to cheat on her, I didn't believe him at first, but now I think he was right" said Monica  
  
"I've always thought he's one of those guys who aren't worth the try, but Rachel doesn't listen"  
  
"Pheebs, it's not just that, I mean it's not the feeling anymore... I actually saw him with another girl, I haven't said anything to Rachel cause you know her, she won't believe me, she's happy with Steve, she thinks he's different, I don't wanna see her go through the same thing she went with Chip.... I'm gonna talk to Ross to see if he knows something" Monica got up the chair and took her coat, her cellphone and her keys "He knows the guy better than us, and maybe he can convince him to break things up with Rachel without her knowing what is happening"  
  
"Do you think Ross can do something?"  
  
"It's worth trying, I can't stay here without do something, watching my friend gets hurt again. Beside, my brother would do anything for Rachel......wish me luck" said Monica  
  
"Good luck" said Phoebe, and Monica left the dorm  
  
*~*  
  
Ross had his last class at 7, he was so tired that the only thing he wanted to do was get home and get into bed right away, but he was sure that he'd find Rachel making out with Steve in the couch and was really tired of watching that scene over and over again. He decided he was too tired to go to classes, and too broken hearted to watch Rachel and Steve kissing, so he headed to Central Perk to have a cup of coffe and try to relax a little bit. When he entered the coffe house he notice a girl sitting in the couch the gang used to use, when he approced to her could see she was crying, and just when he was standing on her side he could see 'the girl' was Rachel.  
  
"Rach, what happen?, are you ok?" he asked really concern  
  
"Ross, could you please leave me alone? I just wanna be by myself right now"  
  
"Then you shouldn't been on a coffe house at 7 pm. Come on Rach, trust me" Ross sit by her side, and looked into her eyes making her feel like she could rely on him "come on Rach.I'm an excellent listener" he said with a smile on his face. For the first time the words came out his mouth easily, now he was there for her as her friend, not as the guy who has always been in love with her, and that, was a good change  
  
"You are Steve's friend, right?" Rachel started  
  
Ross was almost sure that Rachel was crying because of him, and the anger filled his soul one more time. "You could say so, altough I'm not sure if he knows what 'friend' means"  
  
"Why do you say so?"  
  
"Well Rach, it's a long story, and not that important in this moment, you are the only thing that matters now, so go on"  
  
In that moment Rachel realized how sweet and carring Ross was. She had stopped crying, but you could really hear the pain in her voice "I just can't take it anymore Ross. I just can't handle this. I have the feeling that, that, Steve doesn't love me anymore"  
  
"Why do you say that Rach?, how can he not love you?, you are the most wonderful girl on earth. Just some stupid morron with several mental problems wouldn't love you"  
  
"But you told Monica a couple of month ago that I had to be careful with him, why did you say that for?is it true that he always cheat on his girlfriends?"  
  
Ross didnt wanna be the one to let her down, he wanted to lie to her and told her that Steve loved her more than anything, just to see her smile once again, but he couldn't, he had to be honest. "yeah, that's, that's true,he always does that" his voice trailed a little. Rachel started to cry once again and he felt like it was all his fault, like he was the one cheating on her "Don't cry Rach, I haven't said he's cheating on you. If it helps, I haven't seen him with any other girl. Here wipe those tears from your pretty face" he said offering her a tissue.  
  
Rachel took the tissue and wiped her tears smiling weakly at Ross "thanks Ross. It must be just me then"  
  
"Do you wanna join me with a cup of coffe" asked Ross "you know, to let the bad feelings aside"  
  
"I'm sorry Ross, I can't" replied Rachel"I've gotta go home, Steve is suposed to call me tonight"  
  
"Come on Rach, let's just have one cup of coffe, it's just 7:30, if he doesn't find you at home, he'll call you to your cell phone. What do you say?" begged Ross  
  
Rachel looked at his eyes for a couple of seconds and felt like she couldn't say no to him "ok, just cause you're looking me with those puppy eyes I didn't know you had"  
  
*~*  
  
Monica hurried to get to her brother's house, she had to talk to him to know what was really happening with Steve, she wasn't gonna let him hurt her friend, not again. Monica had always been a girl who wanted to have everything under control, she couldn't bear the idea of her friend been cheated on without doing anything about it. Rachel had always been there for her, supporting her, standing up for her when the other 'popular girls' of the the school started to pick on her, listening to her problems and dreams, and giving her advices about guys. When she decided to lose all her extra weight, Rachel was the only one supporting her and believing she could do it, and when she managed to get her ideal weight, her friend was the first one in hug her and tell her how pround she was. Rachel has always had faith in her, and this was her opportunity to stand for her for the first time. Monica felt that her brother was the only one who could make Steve understand that a good and clean break up would be much easier to handle for Rachel and would hurt her a lot less.  
  
When she finally arrived her brother's house she opened the door with her keys. "I hope they don't get mad at me for entering this way" thought Monica. The house was completly dark from the outside and Monica thought Ross should be by himself and on his room studing,so she decided to enter the house without knocking cause Ross would never hear her from the second floor. When she finally entered the house she saw the kitchen light on and the door closed, so she headed to the kitchen and opened the door.  
  
"OH MY GOD!" was everything she managed to say when she opened the door and saw Steve with a girl who looked nothing like Rachel having sex on the kitchen table. She inmediatly covered her eyes with his hands  
  
"Monica?" said Steve "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"  
  
"I WAS LOOKING FOR MY BROTHER. MY GOD STEVE!, GET DRESS PLEASE. I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO MY FRIEND AND IN THE KITCHEN?! DON'T YOU HAVE A BEDROOM??" said Monica still covering her eyes  
  
"Please don't tell anything about this to Rachel" said Steve  
  
"Rachel?, who's Rachel?" asked the girl  
  
"RACHEL IS HIS GIRLFRIEND, well, that's what he said to her at least" replied sarcasticly Monica  
  
"You have a girlfriend?" said the girl slaping him in the face and storming out  
  
"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? you know Rachel is like crazy worring about you, and sad cause you haven't called her? what do you want from her? I guess you are breaking up with her right?" Monica screamed at Steve, who looked a bit frightened by Monica's reaction  
  
"No, I don't wanna break up with her. Look Monica, this was a mistake, and it won't happen again. Please, don't tell her anything"  
  
"YOU DON'T WANT ME TO TELL HER ANYTHING? and let you hurt her even more?, are you insane, out of your mind, or you just have problems understaning complicated situations. I'm sorry buddy, but it's either you breaking up with her,or I'm just gonna have to tell her,cause I don't wanna see how you hurt her even more"  
  
"ok, ok, ok" shout Steve "I'll break up with her, happy?"  
  
"YOU HAVE UNTIL TOMORROW!" yelled Monica once again  
  
"ok, I'll do it tomorrow"  
  
*~*  
  
At the Central Perk, Rachel and Ross were still sitting in the couch, both laughing, when Gunther approached to them "We are closing"  
  
"Oh my God Rach, look at the time!" said Ross looking at his watch  
  
"11:30 already?we've been here for 4 hours!" said Rachel amazed  
  
Both got up from the couch and walk out the coffe house  
  
"This was the first time we've ever talked for so long, wasn't it" said Ross, breaking the first silence between them in 4 hours  
  
"I think it was, pretty fun huh? you're pretty nice when you're not all nervous Geller" said Rachel joking  
  
"Thank you very much Greene, under that little brat cover you're pretty nice too" both laughed. "Do you want me to walk you home?" asked Ross  
  
"We're 5 minutes from there, but I wouldn't mind your company" said Rachel, kind of flirting with him, she didn't know why, but she couldn't help it  
  
"I wanna tell you that I had a wonderful time today, we should do this again.What do you say?"  
  
"Of course" said happily Rachel "as long as Steve doesn't mind" the expresion on Rachel's face change once again to sadness and worry, she hadn't thought about him the whole time she spent with Ross  
  
"I'm sorry Rach, I thought I cheered you up"  
  
"You did Ross, is just, I'm scared" said softly Rachel  
  
"Scared of what?"  
  
"Scared of, of, of get hurt again. The only.. the first.. ah!, forget it"  
  
"Come on Rach, I told you about my lesbian ex-girlfriend, now it's your turn to tell me your secret" said Ross smiling  
  
Rachel laugh amazed by the hability Ross had to make her laugh when she was feeling down "ok, the thing is,the thing is I've only slept with two guys.I shouldn't be talking to you about this"  
  
"come on Rach, trust me, you can do it, if it makes you feel any better I've only slept with one woman my entire life, and she turn out to be a lesbian,nothing can be worst than that, believe me" said Ross, trying to give her the strenght to tell him her problem  
  
"Just one woman?really?wow,that's really sweet"  
  
"yeah, for me sex is about feelings, about commitments, and well, she was my first and only girlfriend so. But we're not talking about me here"  
  
"ok,well, I've only slept with two guys, Chip, my highschool boyfriend"  
  
"how could I forget Chip Matthews" said Ross sarcasticly  
  
"yeah, he was a *******, wasn't he? well, I've only slept with him and now Steve. Chip hurt me really bad. I'm scared that Steve could do the same thing"  
  
"Rach, I know Steve, and I don't wanna see you get hurt. Can I be honest with you?"  
  
"Of course Ross, that's all I'm asking you to do"  
  
"I think,I think he's gonna hurt you,I wish I could lie to you,but I can't,I'm sorry Rach". Rachel started to cry again,that was exactly what she was expecting to hear,but didn't want to accept "but Rach,don't cry,watching you like this breaks my heart" Ross hugged her really tight "specially for a guy who's not worth it,please don't cry. You're too good for a guy like him"  
  
Rachel looked up and said "Thank you Ross".Suddenly she felt the need to kiss him,but right before she decided to do it,he wiped the tears of her eyes and kissed her forehead  
  
"I'm gonna go upstairs now"said Rachel"I'm feeling kind of tired.Good night Ross" she kissed him on the cheek and quickly enter the bulding  
  
"Good, Good night Rachel" said Ross while his face turned red 


	3. BOYS & GIRLS 3

BOYS & GIRLS - Chapter 3  
  
Monica entered to the bedroom running, she couldn't get the picture of Steven and that other girl from the head. She had to talk to Rachel, she had to prepare her for whatever was Steve was gonna tell her, either way he was deffently break her heart into million pieces. There was no one in the room, Monica turn on the lights and through herself to her bed, waiting for Rachel to come back home. She looked her watch, it was 10:50 pm "she just went to the library to pick up some books" thought Monica "Where the hell is she?and where is Pheebs?"  
  
The door opened suddenly and Phoebe entered the room giggling. "Here I am Monica, stop worrying" said winking at Monica  
  
"But how did you...."  
  
"I've told you a thousand times, I'm psychic!"  
  
"Ok Pheebs,whatever"  
  
"Ow. what happen?! you aura is all messed up?" asked Phoebe, starting to arrange Monica's aura "how did it go at Ross'?"  
  
"Ross wasn't home..."  
  
"so what took you so long?, were you having a little "fun" with Chandler?"  
  
"Chandler?... ew no!"  
  
"WITH JOEY THEN?" said Phoebe a little bit mad  
  
"No Pheebs!!, I didn't had "fun" with anybody. Chandler and Joey weren't home either"  
  
"Then what happened?"  
  
"When I entered the house all the lights were off, except for the kitchen ones, well I...I...enter and then..." Monica's voice trailed, she wasn't sure if she should tell Phoebe about what she saw, they've only been friends for a little more than 4 months, and even though she already feel she could trust Phoebe with her soul, she wasn't sure if it was such a good idea to tell her about Rachel's issues  
  
"and then what Mon....Come on...tell me...I won't tell anything to anyone,I promise" said Phoebe with a smile on her face  
  
"Ok.I entered and then I saw... I saw Steve with a girl..."  
  
"And that was the big deal?so he was with a girl in the kitchen, she could have been a classmate.Unless they were..."  
  
"EXACTLY!" rushed to say Monica before Phoebe could end what she was gonna say  
  
"they were making out?" said seriously Phoebe  
  
"well... no exactly... but yeah, between other things they where also doing that"  
  
"OH MY GOD!!!, they were having sex in the kitchen?"  
  
"yes"  
  
"EW EW EW!!" said Phoebe with a disgusted face "I'll never eat in that place again!"  
  
"Big picture Pheebs please!, that's not the point,beside,I already cleaned and desinfected everything,that's why it took me so long"  
  
"Can say I'm surprise though.Are you gonna tell Rachel?"  
  
"I told him he had till tomorrow to make a clean break up with her, otherwise I'd tell her.Rach's gonna be so broken hearted" finnished Monica, not noticing that in that same moment Rachel was entering the room  
  
"Why am I gonna be broken hearted Mon?" said Rachel really worried  
  
"Rachel?" jumped Monica from the bed. "Where were you?you got me worried"  
  
"I was at Central Perk.Why were you guys talking about me?, did something happen? did Steve call?"  
  
Phoebe and Monica looked at each other, none of them wanting to tell her what was really happening  
  
"I... I... went out right after you, so I really don't know" managed to say Monica  
  
"yeah...me too...sorry" said quickly Phoebe  
  
"no, it's ok...He probably still has a lot of work to do...and where did you two go?"  
  
"I...I went to see my brother" replied nervously Monica  
  
"And I...I...I went with her.We hang out with Ross, Chandler and Joey for a while" lied Phoebe  
  
"Really?!with Ross?did you had a good time?" asked Rachel, really pissed cause she could tell her friends were lying to her  
  
"My brother is such an idiot" Monica faked a laugh, and Phoebe started to laugh too "The Geller started to fight again,it was hilarious"  
  
"CAN YOU TWO TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE?" asked Rachel, this time even more pissed  
  
"Wha...what do you mean Rach?" asked Monica nervous  
  
"Cause I KNOW you two are lying to me...ROSS AND I WERE IN THE CENTRAL PERK TOGETHER SINCE 7:30 'TILL JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO"  
  
Monica and Phoebe exchanged guilty looks, they had to tell her... there was no other way. Rachel was really pissed  
  
"ARE YOU TWO GONNA TELL ME?"  
  
"Well Rach..." started Monica "I went to see my brother...that's true..."she couldn't find the words to tell her friend what was really happening, but by the look on Rachel's face, she should find them fast  
  
"Ok, I listen to you..." said Rachel, if there was one thing she hated in the world was the lies, and Monica knew that, whatever was she was hiding it had to be huge  
  
"It's really hard for me to tell you this Rach.I...I went to the guy's house and...and.."  
  
"I didn't went" interrupted Phoebe "it was more interesting to say that I went there than to say I went to Bonnie's to watch 'Days of your lifes' in her new TV"  
  
"Bonnie the bold girl?" asked Rachel  
  
"She's not bold,she shaves her head,I think it's pretty cool,I should try it sometime"  
  
"Really, really not" said Rachel, looking at Phoebe weirdly "Monica, you were saying?"  
  
"yeah,ok,well, I went there and, as you know Ross wasn't there, right?" she laugh nervously "and neither were Chandler and Joey..."  
  
"And Steve?" asked really interested Rachel,kind of knowing where everything was heading to  
  
Monica and Phoebe exchanged looks once again  
  
"AREN'T YOU GONNA ANSWER ME MONICA?"  
  
"Steve was...he was...he was in the kitchen...with another girl...he was having...you know...sex...I'm sorry Rach" said Monica with tears in her eyes for being the one breaking her friend's heart  
  
Rachel was in shock...her face white like a paper sheet,and she slowly sat down on Monica's bed, feeling like neither the tears or the words wanted to come out. Monica and Phoebe sitted each other at one of Rachel's side and huged her "I'm sorry honey..I didn't want to be the one telling you this...I hate seeing you crying, but it was better for you to hear it from me than to watch it with your own eyes" said Monica, with the voice filled with emotions, but yet strong so her friend could feel like she wasn't alone  
  
"We're here for you Rach...if you want me to curse him, I'll do it right away" said Phoebe, trying to make her smile, but Rachel was still in shock. Suddenly she stood up. "I need fresh air" she said, and quickly took her jacket and stormed out the room. Monice was gonna run after her, but Phoebe stopped her "I think she needs some time by herself"  
  
"But did you see her face?" argued Monica "what if she makes something stupid?"  
  
"She just need time and space,you just will have to trust her judment"  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel left the bulding, the night was starry, but really cold. She didn't know where to head to, so she walked to nowhere for a while. After an hour, and without notice, she was in front of the guys' house.There was Steve, that bastard who had betrayed her, hurt her, lied to her and above all things laugh of her, using her for his amusing. After not feeling nothing at all, now she was filled with hate, all she wanted to do was throw a rock to the damn house that'd hopefully would hit the bastard in the head, but Steve's room was facing the backyard of the house, so she decided to head somewhere else. She couldn't believe how blind she had been, Monica, Phoebe and Ross warned her.She was disgusted with herself for letting him even touch her."I really cared about him" thought Rachel "I even think I loved him"  
  
She couldn't contain the tears and started to cry. She cried with a pain like she has never felt before,not even for Chip. She sat on a bench on Central Perk and looked around, she was totally by herself. She took her cell phone from her coat poket and started to dial  
  
*~*  
  
Monica looked at her watch once again, it was 2:00 AM, and still no news about Rachel. "I'm gonna call my brother, it's been almost two hours since Rachel left, maybe she went there.I hope she's there" said Monica really worried. She diealed Ross' cell phone number. In the house everybody was asleep, luckly Ross had forgotten to turn off his cellphone, and started to ring over and over again.  
  
"Hello?" said Ross,still asleep  
  
"ROSS?" yelled Monica  
  
"Monica?!please,it's 2 o'clock in the morning,what do you want?"  
  
"I know it's 2 o'clock in the morning, I just need to know if Rachel's there"  
  
"The last time I saw her was when I left her in front of your bulding like 3 hours ago. But I haven't seen her again, unless she and Steve made up after I fell sleep and is with him now" said Ross, kind of dissapointed  
  
"I really don't think she's with Steve and you haven't heard about it Ross.She just found out he was cheating on her and..."  
  
"WHAT?!" said Ross, quickly standing up "did she... did she see him?"  
  
"no, I saw him..and I told her"  
  
"how did you...well that's not the important thing right now,where is she? how is she?" asked Ross,getting more worried by the second  
  
"I don't know.After I told her, she said she needed fresh air and left, and that was like 2 hours ago.I thought she may have gone to your house"  
  
"No, she hasn't come. Don't worry Mon, I'm gonna go out and find her, ok?, stay there and if you know anything you gice me a call, ok?" said Ross, quickly taking off his pj and putting the clothes he had wore that day  
  
"Ok Ross, please find her, Phoebe and I are sick worried"  
  
"Don't worry, I'll find her" quickly hanging out the phone.  
  
After he was ready to go out, the cell phone ringed again and Ross answered fast "MON?, did you hear about Rachel?Mon?Hello?"  
  
There was a silence on the other side of the line, nobody answer "Weird" thought Ross. The phone ringed once again and Ross answer really fast again. This time Rachel's voice came from the other side, and Ross could see that she had been crying "Ross? come please?I'm scared"  
  
"Rach?!where are you?"  
  
"In the Central Park, near that big horse statue"  
  
"Ok Rach, don't move.I'll be right there in 5 minutes,don't talk to anybody"  
  
"Ok, hurry up, please"  
  
Ross left her room so fast that he even tripped with the last step of the stairs. On his way to the park he called Monica  
  
*~*  
  
"I shouldn't had called Ross" thought Rachel "I don't wanna put him between, Steve is his friend.... but he was so nice with me today... it was so great just to talk to him.... God!, how did I get here?... where is Ross?.... what is taking him so long?". Rachel was really scared, she was sitting in a bench, looking everywhere, waiting for Ross. She has never thought of him like anything than Monica's geek brother who loved dinasaurs, but that day in the coffe house she notice how sweet, nice and carring her was. In the moment they started to talk she realized how much he cared about her without expecting anything back, that's why she called him... she needed to feel safe, and loved like the way she felt that afternoon  
  
Ross appeared suddenly, interrupting Rachel's thoughts "Rach!" he yelled from the other side of the park while he approached to her running. "Honey, are you ok?"  
  
Rachel looked at directly at his eyes, she had never seen how beautiful and sweet they were.... those eyes filled her with a warm feeling she couldn't explain.  
  
"My God Rach, you're shaking" said Ross hugging her while she was still crying  
  
"He was cheating on me Ross" said Rachel between snobs  
  
"I know sweety, Monica told me" said softly Ross while stroking her hair. "I swear I didn't know... I'm gonna hunt him down, and kill him..."  
  
"Just hold me, ok?" begged Rachel. The only thing she needed in that moment was Ross near her  
  
"I'm not going anywhere Rach, don't worry"  
  
They remain hugging for a while, Rachel was still shaking, and Ross took of his jacket and covered her with it. Rachel looked at him really thankful, not just because of the jacket, but also for everything else, for waking up at 1 in the morning just to be with her, for listened to her, support her and not making a lot of question. She wasn't crying anymore, but her whole body soared. She didn't want to go home, Monica and Phoebe would filled her with questions about how she was feeling, and to be honest she really didn't know, she didn't feel ready to answer those questions, she just wanted to be there.... with Ross  
  
"Rach, it's 4 o'clock in the morning, don't you think we should go home now? tomorrow... I mean, in a couple of hours you have classes, and you really should get some sleep" Ross couldn't stop looking into her eyes  
  
"I don't wanna go home... Monica and Phoebe are gonna start asking me how I am, how am I feeling, and I feel like I can't really answer" said Rachel with a really tired voice  
  
"I see... if you want you can go home with me" offered sweetly Ross without really notice what he was saying. Rachel's eyes filled with tears once more. "I'm sorry... Steve... I complete forgot about him... I'm a morron... I'm sorry" Ross was really regretful of what he had said, and didn't know how to take it back  
  
"It's ok Ross... I think I have no other choice than to go back to the bedroom"  
  
"Well Rach, I don't think if what I'm about to say it's going to make things worst... but when I left the house he wasn't in his room"  
  
"Nothing can make this worst" she looked up, and her eyes met his "At least I don't have to take Monica and Phoebe's pitty tonight" a little and weak smile appeared in her face.  
  
Both stood up and started to walk home. Ross was still holding her really close cause she was still shaking because of the cold of the night  
  
"I don't think they can feel pitty for you Rach, they are really worried about you cause they love you so much"  
  
"I know. You know Monica is my best friend, and she's always been, and Pheebs has become in one of my dearest friends, but I'm not ready to hear 'I told you so' right now"  
  
They keep on walking, and Rachel started to cry again. Ross just held her closer and stroke her hair, letting her get all the pain out  
  
*~*  
  
When they entered the house anger took hold of Rachel once more. She let go of Ross' arms and run to Steve's bedroom  
  
"Rach I don't think..." Ross' voice trailed when he saw Rachel standing on the door to Steve's room. He wasn't there, Rachel kneeled down, cover her face with his hands and started to cry harder than she had cried. Ross felt really guilty for brought her there... he shouldn't had, it was obvious that it would only made things worst  
  
"Rach, honey... stand up" said Ross, offering her his hand. She stood up and he held her close once again "this wasn't a good idea... I'm.. I'm..."  
  
"It's ok Ross... I just wanna sleep"  
  
Both went upstairs and entered Ross' bedroom. Once inside they looked at each other akwardly  
  
"You'll have the bed... if you want me I can lend you a t-shirt" said Ross quickly  
  
"Ok... thanks... but where are you gonna sleep?"  
  
"I'm just gonna crush in this couch here" Ross went through his closet and from a drawer took a tiny t-shirt and handle it to Rachel "here, you can wear this"  
  
Rachel looked at the tshirt and smiled at him " 'Frankie say relax'? what is this?"  
  
"Yeah well.... it doesn't fit me anymore" said Ross blushing  
  
*~*  
  
The morning after Ross woke up and looked at his bed, Rachel was still aspleep. "I never thought I'd seen her sleeping in my bed" he thought. Suddenly he remembered everything that had took place the night after, and he was decided to beat Steve to dead the next time he sees him. "I'm gonna make her a nice breakfast, she needs to recover energy" thought Ross happyly while he was walking downstairs. When he got to the first floor nor Joey or Chandler were up yet, he looked at the watch and saw it was 9 o'clock in the morning "it's better this way, I don't want to explain them this whole Rachel thing".  
  
When he was entering the kitchen he feel some keys noices on the house door, when he turned around to see who it was, he saw Steve standing in the lobby, smiling at him  
  
"Up so early?" said Steve with a cheering voice  
  
Ross just stood there looking at him  
  
"Come on dude, you can talk to me now... I'm breaking up with your precious Rachel today... now she's all yours if you..."  
  
Steve didn't finnish the whole sentence when Ross pounced over him and starting to beating him as hard as he could. Steve pushed him really hard, making him crash against the table where they kept the mail  
  
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" asked a really pissed Steve  
  
Rachel heared Steve's voice coming from the first floor and quickly got up, she went down a couple of steps and watched the two guys arguing  
  
"YOU'RE A BASTARD!, YOU CHEATED ON HER!, YOU HURT HER!... I knew you were gonna do that" yelled Ross  
  
"And what are you gonna do about it?... keep on beating me??... why do you take it so seriously?... she's just a girl... I had fun with her for a while, but I already got boared.... why are you so bitter anyway, you have no idea how to have fun... you care too much about everything" said Steve really relaxed  
  
"Just a girl?.... are you sick?... how can you say that... God, she loves you!!" said Ross, not believing what he was hearing  
  
"all the girls love me dude"  
  
Rachel couldn't believe what she was hearing either. 'Just a girl'?, he ment so much for her and she was 'just a girl'?, he was just having fun with her?... why?... "all the things he said... were lies" Rachel thought  
  
"Come on dude... get real... Rachel was too..." Steve lift his eyes and saw Rachel in the stairs "RACHEL?"  
  
Ross turned around and saw Rachel, pale and with the eyes red and swollen from crying. "Rach... you're... you're up" was all he could say, wishing she hadn't heared anything of what Steve said  
  
"WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?... did you two sleep together?" asked Steve  
  
"Look, you have no right to ask her anything.... I want you out of my house this afternoon.... I don't wanna see your disgusting face ever again... take all your sh¡t and get the hell out of here"  
  
Ross went to where Rachel was, she was still there, without moving. When he get to the same step she was sitting on he hug her and kissed her hair, she was shaking again.  
  
"Rach, I'm so sorry you had to hear that... come, you're gonna take a shower now, ok?... I'm gonna make you a nice breakfast" he kissed her forehead and stroke her hair "I promise you'll never see that guy again, I won't ever let him even step near you, ok?... Everything will be ok now"  
  
Rachel looked at him and just nodded. There was something about Ross' words that made her feel comfortable. If something good came out of all this, it was her new friendship with Ross. And he was right, everything would be ok.... cause now she had him  
  
*~* 


	4. BOYS & GIRLS 4

Thanks to everybody for your wonderful reviews... I'm really happy you're liking my job, I have so much fun writting this. Please keep on reviewing the fic, I wanna know what do you think about it. Now let's get down to bussiness  
  
BOYS & GIRLS - Chapter 4  
  
It had been six months since Steve and Rachel broke up,a new year of college had started and a lot of things had changed.The main change had happened on a trip the gang took to the beach that summer.Just out of the blue Phoebe and Joey hooked up,altough they're always saying they don't have a relationship cause they are both'free spirits',the other 4 friends agree that they'd never seen those two happier than now.On the other hand Chandler's mom had giving him an appartment near the University."Just to make her feel better,like she's giving me a home or something",said Chandler when he got the keys.Anyhow he moved out the house he shared with Ross,and Joey moved out with him cause he hadn't been able to get any stable job,so wasn't making enough money to afford rent.Ross had been looking for new roomates ever since the new college year started cause he wasn't able to afford it by himself.Phoebe had dropped college and started to work as masseusse.She had to left the dorms and went to live with her grandma,who lived a couple of blocks away from Ross' house.Ross and Rachel had getting closer during this time,Rachel was so thankful for been there for her after she broke up with Steve"if it wasn't for u I would never get out of that dark hole I was"she said to him several times.They were great friends,but that was all,Rachel had gone back to not wanting a relationship and Ross was happy to be there for her everytime she needed her.  
  
The gang was hanging out at the Central Perk  
  
"I don't know what to do"said Ross"I can't afford rent all by myself"  
  
"Haven't found roommates yet dude?"asked Joey  
  
"No, he did find, the problem is his roommates are the whole invisible family"replied sarcasticly Chandler  
  
Everybody just gave Chandler a look  
  
"No Joe, I haven't found a roommate yet,and if I don't find anyone quickly I'll have to move out"said concerned Ross  
  
"I know!,Mon and Rach can live with u!" exclamed Phoebe  
  
"What?!living with my sister again?no thank you"  
  
"OH GOD!, they'd have me in the middle of their fights!!I'd be trapped into the little Geller dimention!" said Rachel  
  
"You're so sweet Ross,but if u think about it, it's actually not a bad idea,our parents would be pleaced.Beside the three of us paying the rent of the house would be cheaper than the dorms" said Monica matter of factly  
  
"What do u say Rach?"asked Ross  
  
"I don't know if I could live there, you know" said Rachel  
  
"But u don't have to use Ste...well, the first floor,u can sleep upstairs, there are 3 bedrooms there"said Joey while sipping his coffe  
  
"Joey has said something smart OH MY GOD!, that's one of the signs of the apocalypse" said worried Chandler while Ross gave him look  
  
"Joe's right,u 2 can sleep upstairs and share that bathroom and I...I can sleep downstairs and use that bathroom"  
  
"Mmmm I like that idea,u know,having more space.Beside we practically live there anyway"said really cheered Rachel  
  
"We do it then?"asked Monica  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Great, we're roommates now!"yelled Ross while he hugged her sister and his best friend  
  
*~*  
  
The girls move in that very same afternoon"Ok, this is the last box and we're through"said very tired Ross  
  
"mmm,Ross?my shoes aren't here"replied Rachel  
  
"And believe me, those are like 4 boxes"laughed Monica  
  
"And,and,and where the hell did u keep all this things?"said Ross surprised  
  
"She had them distributed for like 10 or 12 bedrooms"joked Monica  
  
"I like clothes ok?"  
  
"Hey!,I liked girls,but I don't keep them in boxes"said Joey  
  
"Cause none of them has let u.Rember how hard Phoebe hit u the last time you tried with her"joked Chandler  
  
"Ok,are u guys gonna keep talking?or are u gonna get this boxes upstairs.come on! move your lazy asses,quick!"commanded Rachel  
  
"You have spent waay too much time with Monica,u already sound like her" said laughing Phoebe  
  
The other guys brusted into laughter and Rachel just looked worried  
  
After the girls moved in,the gang started to hang out more in the house than the coffe house.As all of them lived really close they spent even more time together.In the begining,the Gellers fighted all the time and about everything,but after Rachel yelled at them a couple of times the life in the Geller-Greene house begun to be really nice  
  
*~*  
  
Ross,Chandler,Joey,Phoebe and Monica were hanging out @ the house eating pizza when Rachel entered with the hands full of bags and paper from classes.Ross stood up and helped her with all the stuff  
  
"Let me"said Ross taking a big box from her hands  
  
"Thanks hon" said sweetly Rachel,droping the rest of the bags in the couch  
  
"U're gonna pick that,right?"asked Monica  
  
"Chill out Mon.I have to tell u all something.There's a huge party a couple of blocks from here and we are all invited"Rachel was really happy about it  
  
"When?"questioned Monica  
  
"This saturday.We have to go, pleaase, say we will"Rachel looked like a little girl begging for a new doll "u know I love you all,but if I spend another saturday listening Ross' dinasour stories and eating pizza I'm gonna shot myself"  
  
"I'm with u on that"said Chandler"maybe this time I'll get more dates than last time"  
  
"Why?!how many did u get?"asked Phoebe  
  
Chandler started couting in his head and said"well,I got a date,but it was a guy,so it doesn't count,without counting that one I had, none.It was pathetic"  
  
"You mean that beer party we went before finnishing the last semester?"asked Joey.Chandler nodded"oow,that was a good party,there were some very drunk and very hot gir..."Phoebe gave him a look"but nothing happen"said Joey giving Phoebe a quick pick on the lips.  
  
"So,are we going?"asked Rachel  
  
"I'd like to"said Monica  
  
"I would have to go to ur place though,my grandma says I'm too loud when I get back late.Unless someone here wants some Phoebe love that night"Phoebe winked at Joey who was sitting next to her  
  
"I'm going too"said Chandler  
  
Everybody looked at Ross"What?"he said quizzical  
  
"u going?"asked sweetly Rachel  
  
"Eh,well,I don't know,I have this huge test on monday,and..."  
  
"Pleease,come on,u've studied enough,if u keep on studing u'd get too intelligent for this world.Please.For me?"begged Rachel  
  
Ross looked at Rachel,he couldn't resist when she acted like a little girl"ok,but one condition"  
  
"tell me"said happyly Rachel  
  
"you have to dance with my a couple of songs"  
  
"Ok,you got it baby"Rachel stood up from the chair"We're going to party! we're going to party!"  
  
Everybody stared at her with a weird look on their faces  
  
"Ok, I'll stop now,it's out of my system"  
  
*~*  
  
The gang arrived together to the party.The music was loud,the house was huge,everybody were dancing,laughing and having a great time,everybody except Ross.The moment he went to where Rachel was to ask her for the dances she owed him,he noticed she was"bussy"with a guy.He went to the backyard of the house and sat on a chair near the pool.Not paying attention to the music and to the laughters.Chandler saw him from the distance,and went to where he was  
  
"Hey Ross!what's up dude?!"  
  
"Hi.I was just,you know,thinking"replied Ross  
  
"THINKING?you are in what it easyly could be the best party of the year,and you're here,THINKING?there are hundreath of drunk chicks,dancing practically naked,and you are here,THINKING?"  
  
"What's your point?"asked Ross,looking at the pool  
  
"My point is,you don't know how to have fun anymore dude,all you do is think and blow the new people away.And then you complain bout been alone,come on,let's get inside,there are gonna be tons of girls who will want to be with you,believe me, just before I came here a girl stuck her tounge down my throat" said proundly Chandler  
  
"Good for you,but the only girl I wanna be with didn't even notice me when I stood next to her,and I don't wanna go inside to see how she makes out with a dude.And I do know how to have fun,when we're hanging out @ home I have a great time,I just feel out of place here"  
  
"You mean Rachel?"asked Chandler  
  
"She has spent the whole night with that italian guy,he barely can pronuce her name.I don't get her,after all she went through with Steve,she just doesn't learn"said Ross feeling kind of hurt  
  
"You think she's gonna stop from having fun just because what happened with Steve?I hate been the one to tell you this,but she's not like u.Come on!,forget about her for a while,let's have some fun"insisted Chandler  
  
"I've been trying to forget about her for a really long time,and believe me,it doesn't work"  
  
"Ok.Whatever man!"Chandler patted Ross on the shoulder and went back to the party,there was no way to make him undestand when it comes to the Rachel issue  
  
Once inside Monica approached to him a little bit drunk"CHANDLER!!.here you are"  
  
"Are u drunk?"  
  
"A bit.Where were u?,I've been looking around for u for a while"said Monica bouncing from one side to the other  
  
"I was just trying to cheer ur brother up" said Chandler looking outside  
  
"Forget about him,he's a geek,he doesn't know how to have fun"  
  
"yeah, that's what I said to him,I kind of worried thou..." Chandler's words were abruptaly interrupted by Monica,who had grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him."What was that?"asked Chandler surprised  
  
"I don't know,I just felt like I wanted to kiss u,so I kissed u"explained Monica  
  
"But,but,but we don't kiss each other,I mean,we are not kissing friends,are we?"asked nervously Chandler  
  
"We can be!"  
  
Chandler looked at her for a moment.Surely he liked Monica,she was beautiful,nice,carrying and a great person.But did he really wanted to expose their friendship to this?  
  
"I mean"said Monica"I've always had a thing for u,since that time u went home for thanksgivin,when you called me fat,remember?"Monica wasn't sure if it was the alcohol talking or what,but she felt like she had to get all this out of her chest"well?"  
  
"What about our friendship?"Chandler looked at her once again"what the hell,we weren't that close anyway"he said before kissing her once again  
  
Ross stood up and walk to the house, he was tired of been there watching how everybody was having fun while he was feeling down, he had to get the hell out of there.  
  
Once inside the house he looked for Chandler, but he couldn't find him anywhere. Then started looking for Joey and Phoebe, but they were kind of 'bussy' and he didn't want to bother them. Monica was also really entertained with a guy, but he couldn't see who he was. Finally, he decided to look for Rachel, he stood on the first step of the stairs and looked her everywhere, without noticing a girl standing by his side, kind of nervous  
  
"ROSS GELLER?" Yelled the girl, she had to speak loudly cause the music was loud  
  
"YEAH!" replied Ross, not paying much attention to her, cause he was still looking for Rachel  
  
"HI, I'M JULIE!, WE'RE IN THE SAME 'SOUTHAMERICAN FOSSILS' CLASS"  
  
"GREAT" Ross had finally found Rachel, she was on the other room, hugging the italian guy, a guy who had just arrived from Italy to study latin. All the girls were crazy for him, his name was Paolo, but Ross didn't know that and he couldn't careless really  
  
"I WANTED KNOW IF U WANTED DO DANCE AND..." continued Julie, but Ross interrupted her  
  
"U KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TIME NOW... I'M LIVING, I JUST HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING TO A FRIEND AND I'LL BE OUT OF HERE" Ross excussed him and went straight to where Rachel was, all he wanted was to get Rachel out of there  
  
"RACH... RACH... RACHEL!!" called out Ross  
  
Rachel looked at him, smile and let go of Paolo's arms "ROSS!!... LOOK PAOLO!! IS ROSS!!" said Rachel with a drunk voice  
  
"Are u drunk?" asked Ross concerned  
  
"ME? DRUNK? just a bit dizzy... not drunk... I'm having a great time here. Paolo is such a sweety"  
  
Ross looked at Paolo really mad "I can see that, that's why he let you drink so much. Do you want me to take you home?, I'm leaving" offered Ross  
  
"No!!, I'm having a great time... I don't wanna go!" said Rachel like a spolied litte girl  
  
"Ok" said Ross kind of pissed "I'm leaving alone then"  
  
"U'RE SO BOARING!" yelled Rachel at him while he was leaving the room, after hugging Paolo again.  
  
Ross turned around and left the house. He walked a couple of blocks and got home quickly. He knew he and Rachel weren't together, and that never happened anything between them, but he couldn't help feeling cheated on. He always thought he would be the next guy Rachel'd date, he thought that she would realize how much he loved her and cared about her, but no... she had to go back to those guys who didn't deserve her, maybe it just wasn't meant to be.  
  
Once in the house he took of his jacket and sat on the couch, turned on the tv and stare at it without watching it, all he could thought about was Rachel getting far and far away once again. Without noticing he fell asleep in the couch with the tv on, to tired to keep on thinking and too sick of feeling so down  
  
*~*  
  
It was 6 o'clock in the morning when Rachel got home from the party "I'm gonna have the worst hang over ever" she thought. As she entered to the house she realized Monica hadn't been home yet, she saw her with a guy before leaving the party with Paolo, and it seemed like everything had turned out great for her friend cause her jacket wasn't in the place where she always kept it and neither were her keys. She passed by the living and saw the tv on "Ross went to sleep and forgot turning off the tv again" she tought. She turned off the tv and saw Ross sleeping on the couch, she stare at her for a moment and then went to get a blanket to cover him. She covered him with the blanket, took his shoes off, kissed in the forehead and kneel down beside him. She loved him so much, he was the best friend she'd ever had, in a different way than Monica, of course. She knew Ross would get mad at her once he new about her and Paolo  
  
"This is just what I need now, no feelings, no strings attached, just sex" she stroke his hair and said "I owe u a dance". She kissed him on the forehead once again, stood up and went upstairs to try to catch some sleep  
  
*~*  
  
Ross woke up on the couch and notice that he was with a blanket and without his shoes "I must had been Monica"  
  
In that very same moment, Monica entered the house with her shoes on her hands, trying not to make any noise, without noticing that Ross was looking at her  
  
"Are u just coming in?" asked Ross, taking Monica by surprise  
  
"Ross!... eeeh... I... I went to the store" replied Monica nervously  
  
"And why are u wearing the same clothes u were wearing yesterday and have ur shoes on ur hands?... or u're gonna tell me that u went to the store cause u needed old shoes?" asked intrigued Ross  
  
"I mean no... I... I... I" rambled nervously Monica  
  
"MON!" said Ross strongly, Monica looked at him "where did u spend the night?"  
  
"At Chandler's... I got drunk, and he took me to his place and took care of me the whole night" Monica was trying really hard not to meet his brother's eyes  
  
"Uff... u scared me!!, I thought u spent the night with that guy u were dancing with yestarday" said Ross relieved "Have u seen Rachel?"  
  
"No... I haven't, last night she disappeared... but I guess she's sleeping in her room"  
  
"Mmm... I hope so"  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel woke up and stare at the cealling for a while, she couldn't believe she didn't have hang over, specially after all she had drank the night before. She stretched and got out of bed, she was really hungry. She passed by Monica's room and notice she hadn't slept there "It looks like the two of us got lucky last night" said to herself.  
  
Once she was downstairs she saw her friend leaving the kitchen  
  
"u have to tell me EVERYTHING" demanded Rachel, grabbing Monica by the arm  
  
"Everything about what?" asked Monica looking werdly at Rachel  
  
"The guy!!, his name, how old is he?, where is he from?, where does he live?, what is his major?... u know... how was it... EVERYTHING!!"  
  
"What... what guy Rachel?" Monica hated lying to her friends, but this time there wasn't another way out  
  
"u know....last night guy, the party... the one u were making out with? the one you spent the night with..." said Rachel, trying to read Monica's expresion.  
  
"Chandler?" asked Ross, comming out from the kitchen  
  
"What has Chandler to do here?" asked confused Rachel  
  
"Monica spent the night at Chandler's, she got drunk, and he took her to his place when she passed out" explained Ross  
  
"So, there wasn't a guy?" asked Rachel dissapointed "And what happed with that one u were kissing so passionatly with?"  
  
"WHAT?!" asked Monica and Ross at the same time  
  
"u saw me?" asked worried Monica  
  
"What?, u were kissing with a guy?" asked Ross, looking very serious at his little sister, when it was something to do with his little sister love life he was very protective  
  
"Ross, ur sister is 21, not 12!... and yes Mon, I saw u, I couldn't see what he looked like tough, cause ur head was blocking me... and well, I was a little bit drunk... but I cought the whole show"  
  
Monica sighed in releaved, her secret was safe now  
  
"Well.... and?" asked Ross  
  
"And what?" asked Monica  
  
"What happened with that guy?" asked Rachel  
  
"I don't know... I can't remember, I was drunk. Would u excuse me now... I wanna go lay down for a while, my head is killing me" and with that she went upstairs leaving Ross and Rachel without understand anything  
  
"Anyway...." said Ross "Want some breakfast?"  
  
"Ok, I'm starving... u're gonna make it?"  
  
"Yes... cause I really wanna eat... u're not much of a cooker"  
  
"Hey!... that's not fair... I make a very good Mac&Cheese"  
  
"Yes Rach, u make a really good Mac&Cheese, but now we're having breakfast and we're not eating that" joked Ross  
  
"I know, I know, I was just saying"  
  
"So, it'll be a late with a couple of toast and a glass of orange juice... ow, and the late without sugar" Ross winked at Rachel, letting her know he knew exactly what she liked for breakfast  
  
"u're amazing... thanks" said surprised Rachel  
  
"Amazing?, why?" asked Ross  
  
"cause u know, nobody knows me like u do... and u're always preoccupied about me having what I want and u take so much care of me.... thanks!. U make me think that the perfect guy really exist" said Rachel looking into his eyes, and then gave him a kiss on the chick and hugged him  
  
Ross blushed "U... u don't have to thank me Rach, I do it pleased... well, do u want some breakfast or not?" said quickly changing the subject  
  
"Yes, of course" said Rachel while she followed him into the kitchen  
  
continue... 


	5. BOYS & GIRLS 5

Once again thank you very very much for your wonderful reviews. Just one thing, this isn't a C&M fic, there are tons and tons out there, they are just secondary characters here, the main plot is R&R, as you can see, so tikki, I'm sorry... and also this story is already written. Maybe I'll try to write a C&M fic later ;).  
  
Now to the story...  
  
BOYS & GIRLS - Chapter 5  
  
Ross and Rachel were trying to make a nice breakfast. Ross had burnt a couple of toast, and the kitchen was filled with smoke. Both were laughing uncontrolably  
  
"Well" said Rachel still laughing "what were we talking about before the 'incident'?"  
  
"About the party" answered Ross, trying to get the burnt toast out of the toaster "you were telling me about the party"  
  
Ross stare at Rachel with loving eyes, listening carefully everything she was telling him, that's why he burnt the toast, cause he was paying more attention to her than anything. Ever since they became close friends it had been like this, he always listened to whatever she wanting to tell him, and she always told him everything she did.  
  
"Well, and this girl said to me: 'Ray-ray, you have to meet this guy" said Rachel, imitating the girl's voice "and I said: 'no thanks, I don't wanna meet anybody'... you know... I still don't feel like I'm ready yet"  
  
"Ray-ray?" asked Ross amuzed  
  
"they call me that way. They say it's better than 'Rach'... I hate it though... but what can I say to them?, it had became my nickname between my classmates already"  
  
"I prefer to call you 'Rach'... it represents more to me what you are... you know, how sweet and lovely you are. 'Ray-ray' is just... you know, kind of your cheerleaders friends at school" said Ross, finally puttin more bread in the toaster, while checking the water  
  
"Mmm... you're making me blush again Ross..., thanks honey" Rachel loved when Ross started to tell her those kind of things, but she couldn't help feeling unconfortable so she quickly changed the subject "let me finnish the story, and get the toast out, they are ready... or you want me to eat carbon?"  
  
Ross laugh at Rachel, he knew she always got a little nervous when he started to tell her how sweet she was, and he kind of liked to have that effect on her "Right, the story... please, continue"  
  
"The thing is they didn't listen to me, and the told me 'Ray-ray, you have to meet him... it's been more than a year since that Steve thing and blah blah blah'. So they introduce me to Paolo"  
  
"Paolo?!... what kind of name is that?!" said Ross kind of annoyed  
  
"It's italian Ross..."  
  
"I know it's italian... and what happened to him?" asked Ross, trying to sound like he didn't care "when I saw you two you were having a good time" Ross looked down, he didn't want Rachel's eyes to meet his, cause she'd know he was feeling kind of hurt  
  
"We dance, we drank... it was pretty nice" replied Rachel avoiding the real answer, while both of them left the kitchen to the table  
  
"This is delicious Ross, great cooker" said Rachel eating a toast  
  
"Rach, is just a latte and a couple of toast, there's not science on it. Beside, after all the trying back there something good had to come out" said Ross joking.  
  
Rachel laugh, Ross was always trying to please her, he was defently the best friend she had ever had, and she loved him so much.  
  
Ross was still worried about how far Rachel had gone with the italian guy "and... and after the party, who brought you home?"  
  
"Paolo brought me" replied Rachel  
  
"And... what time?"  
  
Rachel knew if she told Ross where she had gone and what she had done ast night he was gonna lecture her, she knew what she was doing wasn't right, but at this moment was exactly what she needed. Ross overprotected her too much, and he sure wouldn't understand  
  
"Rach... what time did he bring you home?" asked again Ross  
  
"At. at. at. 6 o'clock" replied Rachel softly "And I saw you sleeping on the couch, so I put a blanket on you and turned off the tv" said really quickly, trying to cover what she said before  
  
"But how come?... the party ended at 4?" asked Ross intrigued  
  
"Yeah wel... the thing is... is... Paolo and I left the party earlier, and went to another place, and theeeeen he brought me home"  
  
"And where did you go?"  
  
"To... to his place" said Rachel softly  
  
"Oh... I see" Ross gave her a mad look  
  
"Ross, please... try to understand, this is what I need at the moment"  
  
"What you need? Do you need to get hurt again?... Rachel, this guy is no different from Chip and Steve, can't you see it?"  
  
"I know he's not different, but I won't get hurt this time... I know"  
  
"How can you know" said Ross, trying to clam down  
  
"Cause there's no feelings in the middle, this is just a fun italian thing, just sex... nothing more. I still think I'm not ready for a relationship, this is not gonna be that, we're gonna fool around for a little." Rachel was trying to convince Ross, but he seemed not willing to understand. "Maybe you should try it too. You're the only 23 years old guy that I know who doesn't sleep with anybody"  
  
"That's not the point Rachel..."  
  
"Come on Ross... you should go out there and try to make it, try to get a date or something. It's impossible that the ghost of your relationship with Carol still hunts you."  
  
Ross just looked at her, he couldn't tell her that the real reason why he wasn't even trying to date was her, he still had a little hope that one day she would realize what he felt for her  
  
"I've been thinking that maybe us hanging out together as much as we do is what keeps you from dating" said Rachel concerned "Am I just a friend for you?"  
  
"WHA. WHAT?!" asked Ross nervous  
  
"Am I just a friend, or am I your girlfriend substitute?... I feel like as long as we are still 'us' you're never gonna try to find somebody else"  
  
"Look Rach, I don't go around the campus trying to score with as many girls as I can, I'm not like that, ok?. For me sex is more than a game, it has a meaning. And there's no ghost hunting me, I'm totally over her. If I hadn't had a relationship all this time is cause I'm still waiting for THAT girl to realize I'm here" said Ross looking into her eyes "And I really couldn't be with anybody else"  
  
"You're always talking about THAT girl, and THAT girl... but I haven't seen you do anything to get her, whoever she is, if you keep waiting for her to realize what you're feelings you may wait forever Ross, or maybe she relized but she's just not interested... Try to relax a little, have fun. I hate to see you like this honey, I'm sure there are hundreds of girls out there who would kill for a guy like you, I know I would, but how can you see it if you keep on hiding behind me"  
  
Ross realized that Rachel was right, he was tired of been the one waiting for her, and the one wiping her tears when she got hurt. If she was never gonna realize how much he loved her, he wasn't gonna wait her forever. It was time to live for him, not for her  
  
"You know what Rachel.... you're right.... that's exactly what I'm gonna do"  
  
*~*  
  
The next day Ross looked for Julie in the class room, he was gonna ask her out, beside he owed her an apology for how rude he had been to her at the party  
  
"Julie!!" called out Ross from the other side of the room while approached to her  
  
"Hey Ross!, how are ya'?.. how did the test go?"  
  
"I don't know... I studied a lot, so I guess it was fine." He replied "Listen, I'm on a hurry now cause I have another class in like 3 minutes, but I wanted to apologize for been so rude with you at the party. I... I was kind of pissed cause there was this girl... well, it doesn't matter"  
  
"It's ok, I understand" said Julie and started to leave  
  
"No, wait... that wasn't all..."  
  
"Ok" said Julie kind of intrigued  
  
"I... I... wanted to. to. to ask you out, you know... going on a date" Ross was rambling nervous  
  
"A date?... I'd love to" Julie smile  
  
"what about tomorrow night at 8?"  
  
"ok... it's a date" said Julie shaking Ross' hand  
  
Ross left the room smiling, as Julie watched him live smiling wide too  
  
*~*  
  
Ross entered to the Central Perk really happy. Chandler and Joey were there  
  
"Hey guys!" greeted Ross  
  
"woa!, what is doing that smile in your face?" said Chandler  
  
"I have a date" answered Ross  
  
"A date?... as in... a date with a girl?" asked Joey amazed  
  
"Wow, this Rachel sleeping with that guy thing really messed you up, didn't it?" said Chandler  
  
"Not really. I mean.... I was kind of upset, but it help me realize that I also have a life to live you know, I can't be sitting around waiting for Rachel my whole life"  
  
"And where did you meet her?" asked Chandler  
  
"Is she hot?" asked Joey  
  
"Well, I met her at the party the other night... and she's on one of my classes"  
  
"So she's a nerd like you huh?" replied Joey dissapointed  
  
In that moment Julie entered the coffe house "Ross!, here you are!"  
  
"Julie?!" said Ross amazed "how did you know I was here?"  
  
"I didn't, I just saw you through the window... I forgot to give you my adress"  
  
"Really... I forgot about it too"  
  
"You have to undestand him, it's been so long since his last date that he doesn't remember how it works" joked Chandler  
  
"Thanks mate" said Ross blushing "let me introuduce you to my friends.... this clown here in Chandler and that over there is Joey... guys, this is Julie"  
  
"Who's Julie?" asked Phoebe, entering the coffe house with Monica  
  
"I'm... I'm Julie" replied Julie shydly  
  
"Hi Julie... I'm Phoebe"  
  
"And I'm Monica" said Monica, shaking Julie's hand  
  
"Julie is Ross' date!!" yelled Joey like a little child showing everybody his new toy  
  
"Date?" said Monica amazed but happy "it was about time  
  
"Well you guys, it was really nice meeting all of you, but I gotta go..." Julie felt kind of intimidated by Ross' friends and wanted to get out of there quickly "Ross, I'll see you tomorrow then"  
  
"Wait, I'll walk you to the door" said Ross always a gentleman  
  
"Bye Julie"-"See ya'" said the rest of the gang  
  
Ross came back to where the rest of the gang was and sat on the arm couch. Everybody was staring at him, waiting for an explanation...  
  
"So..." started Monica  
  
"So what?" replied Ross  
  
"What was that about?" asked him his sister  
  
"Well, I had a very interesting conversation with Rachel yesterday, and I decided to give it a go" answered Ross matter of factly  
  
"It was about time... speaking of Rachel, have any of you seen her today?" said Monica  
  
"She must be on classes" said Ross  
  
"Or with Paolo" continued Phoebe  
  
"Ok... I have to go" said quicky Ross when he heard Paolo's name, he wasn't ready yet to accept that, and defintly not ready to talk about Rachel's new lover, it would just ruin his great day.  
  
"What's with him?" asked Monica  
  
"He must be nervous, you know, he haven't had a date in years." replied Chander as he stood up from the couch "well children... I better get going too... I have clasess"  
  
"What?!... you classes?" asked amazed Phoebe  
  
"Yes. I decided to go."  
  
"I have to go. you know, gotta keep looking for Rachel" said Monica also standing up  
  
Monica and Chandler left quickly the coffe house  
  
"I bet they're doing it" said Phoebe to Joey  
  
"Monica and Chandler?... you think?... I don't think so" asked Joey  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Cause Ross would kill him"  
  
"Yeah probably" Phoebe stared at the space blanky for a while and then said "wanna go do it?"  
  
"I tought you would never ask" said exited Joey, and both left the coffe house running  
  
*~*  
  
Ross and Julie's date went really well, so well that it was followed for another one, and another, one and another one. After dating for a couple of weeks, Ross asked her to be his girlfriend, and she accepted happyly. The rest of the gang was really happy for him, well at least almost all the rest of the gang. Rachel didn't like Julie at all, she was always telling Monica and Phoebe how manipulated and fake she thought Ross' girlfriend was. What bothered Rachel the most was that Ross spend all his time with Julie, so he seemed to not have time for her anymore, and she missed him. Her relationship with Paolo, if that could be named 'relationship', was down the hill already, they almost never saw each other during the day, just one or two nights on the week, and it wasn't as fun as it used to be anymore  
  
Monica, Rachel and Phoebe were hanging out in the house, sitting at the table, looking at Ross and Julie, who were sitting on the couch  
  
"I don't understand why the hell she has to spend so much time in here" said Rachel pissed  
  
"cause she's Ross' girlfriend Rachel" replied Monica, tired of her friend's comment on her brother's girlfriend  
  
"I think she's nice... I like her" said Phoebe  
  
"I like her too... in fact we went shopping the other da..."  
  
Rachel stood up "YOU WENT SHOPPING WITH HER?!... WITH THAT... WITH THAT B¡TCH?!" said angryly Rachel, interupting what Monica was saying  
  
"Rachel, would you calm down?... I wanted to know her better, she's my brother's girlfriend for God's sake, he hasn't been in a relationship with anybody since Carol... you should give yourself some time to get to know her better. I still can't understand why you don't like her"  
  
"I really really don't wanna know her better. You are a traitor Monica" said Rachel before turn around to go upstairs to her room.  
  
Phoebe couldn't help start laughing  
  
"Why are you laughin?... did you see her?, she's mad at me and I still don't know why is she reacting like this?"  
  
"Can you see it?" asked Phoebe really amuzed "she's totally jealous of Julie... she couldn't be more in love with Ross"  
  
"In love with Ross?"  
  
"yeah, it's pretty obvious Monica... but I don't think she's realized it yet"  
  
Monica stare at the stairs for a while, and then at her brother on the couch. "In love with Ross?" asked again in her head... "this should be interesting"  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel entered to the house, she was crying. She had promise herself that she won't cry over Paolo, but she couldn't help it. What she saw when she entered the italian's appartment made her remember of Chip and Steve. After seen how happy Ross was with Julie, she decided to give her relationship with Paolo a try, and take it to the next level, so she had went to his appartment that day after classes to surprise him, when she entered she saw him in bed with another girl, she yelled at him a thousand things, and told him to never ever call her or look for her again. Now at home she didn't know what to do, so she sit on the couch and continued crying.  
  
Ross came home really cheered, those last 3 months had been amazing. Julie was amazing, smart, fun, cute, nice and studied the same thing he was studing, so she could understand everything he said when he started talking about dinasaurs. But he knew she wasn't Rachel, he didn't allow himself to think about her as much as he used to. Seeing her with Paolo still bothered him, as it would a little stone on his shoe, but he had managed to live with that. Maybe he would never get her out of his head, but he couldn't limit himself just because of that.  
  
Ross entered the kitchen, poured himself a glass of milk and headed to the couch, cause his favourite tv show was about to start. When he got to the living he saw Rachel crying  
  
"Rach... Rach, what happened?... are you ok?" he asked concerned  
  
"I was wrong Ross... God, I was so wrong" replied Rachel  
  
"It's ok honey" Ross hugged her, not understanding what was happening "everybody has the right to be wrong sometimes"  
  
"No Ross" Rachel let go of Ross' arms and looked into his eyes, those eyes where she had found confort so many times before "you always know, you told me... but I don't listen to you... I'm a fool"  
  
"Rach... relax. Here, take some milk" Ross hended her the glass of milk "and now tell me what happened, cause I really don't understand what you're talking about"  
  
"Ok" Rachel took the glass of milk from Ross' hand, took a sip and wiped her tears "I got out of classes a little early, so I went to Paolo's appartment to surprise him... we were gonna get together later anyway. But when I entered" Rachel's eyes filled with tears and her voice broke "I saw him... I saw him in bed with another girl" she started to cry again, and Ross hugged her "Why Ross?? Why every single guy cheats on me?"  
  
"But Rach, you said that this whole Paolo thing was without feelings in the middle, that you guys were only playing. To any other guy that means 'I get to sleep with you, but I also can sleep with other girls'"  
  
"I know Ross... and I know I shouldn't feel this way... and I promise myself I wasn't gonna cry this time, but look at me, I'm a mess again... why can't I just find a guy who loves me, and takes care of me... and doesn't hurt me?"  
  
Ross looked at her straight to the eyes. He wanted to tell her "you have that guy standing in front of you right now" but he couldn't, she was vulnerable right now, and this wasn't the best moment. "Maybe you're looking in the wrong places Rach... but let's not talk about this right now, ok?... what do you say of we do something together, to cheer you up?"  
  
"A 'Ross and Rachel day'?, we haven't done that in a long time... it sounds like fun" said Rachel, more cheered  
  
"Right, what do you wanna do" asked Ross, happy he could help her  
  
"Let's go to the movies"  
  
"Ok, pick a movie, and I'll call Julie to cancel"  
  
"You're have a date with her?"  
  
"No, I have a date with you.... you're way much important now" replied Ross winking at her  
  
Rachel smiled at him, it was amazing how great Ross made her feel. He always knew the exactly words to make her smile. She grabed the news paper and started to look at the movie billboard  
  
to be continue... 


	6. BOYS & GIRLS 6

BOYS & GIRLS - Chapter 6  
  
"Ok. everything's ready" said Ross approaching to Rachel, who was sitting on the couch "I told Julie you needed a little bit of Ross to cheer you up"  
  
"She didn't get upset?"  
  
"Why would she?" asked Ross  
  
"Cause if you were my boyfriend I wouldn't like you to be going out with other girls" replied Rachel, matter of factly  
  
"Well... that would be a complete different scenario, cause if you were my girlfriend you wouldn't need someone else to cheer you up, cause I would never let you down Rach. Beside, you're one of the most importants girl in my life, and Julie knows that" Ross kissed her forehead and smiled at her  
  
Rachel smiled him back, feeling that everything Ross was saying was true  
  
"What do you say if we go to see 'Moulin Rouge'?" asked Rachel grining  
  
"But the idea in this whole going to the movies thing is to cheer you up... isn't that a sad movie?"  
  
"I don't know... but it's a musical... and musical aren't sad... right?"  
  
"Rach... how many musicals do you know?"  
  
"mmm... Grease?"  
  
"Rachel Karen Greene... you live in New York and never have seen another musical beside 'Grease'." Said Ross joking "it's ok, if you wanna watch 'Moulin Rouge' we'll go to see 'Moulin Rouge', but I'm sure I read somewhere that it was a sad movie"  
  
"Beside... Ewan Mcgregor is in it" said Rachel smiling  
  
"oooh... there's the real reson"  
  
*~*  
  
Ross and Rachel left the movie theatre and Rachel was crying. Both were walking to the house, Ross was hugging her, trying to confort her  
  
"Rach, it was just a movie"  
  
"I know... but... but... what if it's true?"  
  
"What?!... that people can start singing whenever they want?" said joking Ross  
  
"No Ross..." Rachel stopped walking, leaned against against a wall and crossed her arms around her chest "it's just... she lived her entire life not knowing what love was, and once she found it... she couldn't enjoy it cause she died... what... what if the same happens to me?" Rachel's voice trailed  
  
Ross laugh at Rachel's concern "come on Rachel... you can't compare yourself with a character in a movie, specially one in a movie as weird as that one" said Ross smiling  
  
"But what if I never found the real love... what if the real love doesn't really exist... what if the real love is just a lame joke"  
  
"Rach, you can't jump to those conclusion just because a movie..." Ross paused for a while to think what he was about to say "Look, the problem is that you haven't chose the right guys, but you'll find the real love... I swear... I know it. You're the most wonderful girl in the world, all those guys you've been with have been the biggest jerks, they didn't know the kind of girl they had at their side. But you'll find the right guy, maybe he's closer than you think... Rach, you're the most funny, sweet, amazing, adorable, and sexy girl I've even known... God... you're so perfe..." Ross' speech was suddenly interrupted by Rachel. She couldn't resist the temptation of kissing him, so she grabbed him by the shirt before he could finnish what he was saying, and kissed him, taking him by surprise. As she was hearing was Ross was saying all she could think about was that he was the most wonderful guy on earth, and she didn't wanna lose him, so, as in many other ocations before, she just let herself go... doing what really was in her heart, letting the heart rule her head without thinking what was gonna happen after that kiss ended. In that moment the only thing she knew for sure was that she couldn't live without Ross, and that this kiss was the only right thing she had done in a very long time.  
  
At first she felt him nervouse, surprised and a bit uncomfortable, but once he sunk into the kiss, she felt that was the most romantic and sweet kiss she has ever had. After a while of not knowing what to do with his hands, he placed them in her hips as hers travelled from his back to his hair. Everything was magic, the time stood still in the very moment their lips touched, and the kissed seemed last forever.  
  
Ross broke the kiss thinking this was another dream. "Wow" was all he managed to say, trying to catch his breath, still holding her really close  
  
"I know... I" Ross put his forefinger in her lips and kissed her again, this time without feeling the nervousness of the first time, feeling more confident. All this made this kiss more passioned than the first one  
  
This time was Rachel who broke the kiss  
  
"Wanna go home?" she asked quietly and slow, with her forehead leaned against his, trying to catch her breath while looking into his eyes.  
  
*~*  
  
Both entered the house and kept on kissing, making sure Monica wasn't there and lied down on the couch. None of them said anything, they knew that words could ruin the moment. Once in the couch the kisses became yet more passioned... both knew where they were going and didn't want to stop  
  
"Not here" said Rachel slowly as Ross kissed her neck "Monica could entered"  
  
"You're right... let's go to my room" said Ross, still kissing her neck  
  
"No.. I.. I couldn't... let's go to mine"  
  
Ross took her on his arms and carry on kissing each other as they went upstairs. Once in the room, they just let themselves go, leaving all inivitions aside... and just enjoing the moment  
  
*~*  
  
It was still dark when Rachel woke up. She looked at Ross sleeping on her side, everything had been amazing, but now she felt guilty "did I use Ross to cheer me up?" she asked herself, not knowing how to answered. Being with Ross made her felt like she had never felt before, yet she thought something was wrong there "I don't wanna hurt him... another mistake Rachel!!.... how did you let this happen?!... but if it was a mistake... why does it feel so good?... come on Rachel... is Ross, he had always made you feel things no one else had, he has always been that special, and that gorgeous, and that sweet". She looked at him once again and decided to just enjoy the moment and worry about the rest in the morning "he looks like an angel when he's asleep". She kissed him on the lips, hugged him and went back to sleep  
  
*~*  
  
The next morning Rachel woke up and looked at Ross who was still deeply asleep. "He's so cute" she thought, kissing his forehead, put some clothes on and left the room. She had to get out of there, she couldn't face Ross until she has cleared out the meaning of everything that happened the night before. She looked at the watch and saw it was 9 o'clock, her first class started at 10. She got into the shower still not able to think of something else than Ross' kisses.  
  
Deep down Rachel was scared, the things will never be the same between them, ever. She didn't feel ready for a relationship, and if she ventured to have one with Ross she was affraid of losing him forever. "Ross would never hurt me... he would never cheat, he's not like that" she said to herself. But wasn't exactly that what he did to Julie last night?  
  
Rachel got out of the shower and went to the bedroom to get dress, Ross was still asleep. When she was ready to left the room, Ross woke up  
  
"Hey gorgeous" he greeted with a smile on his face  
  
"Hey Ross" replied Rache a little bit nervous  
  
"Where do you go?"  
  
"Classes"  
  
"Don't go... stay here with me" he said grabing her by the waist, making her fall on top of him  
  
"Ross, I REALLY have to go" replied Rachel, letting go of Ross' arms and standing up  
  
"Are you mad?"  
  
"I'm not mad... I'm late"  
  
"Is it because of Julie?"  
  
"What?... no Ross" she said sitting in the bed next to him and holding his hand "I'm not mad, really"  
  
"cause I'm breaking up with her" he looked into her eyes "I don't cheat Rach"  
  
"I know... but maybe this time you shouldn't say anything to her"  
  
Rachel had a sad expresion on her face... she didn't want to hurt Ross, and wasn't complete sure of what she was doing  
  
"Oh... I see" said Ross looking down.  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel left the room.Ross laid on her bed for a while,thinking.He had never felt so happy,so complete and yet so scared.Everything had been a complete surprise for him,but it had happened and it had been wonderful.Yet he was really scared of Rachel's reaction,he was complete sure she wouldn't wanna have anything else.He loved her,now there wasn't any doubt about it,but what if this had been just another night for her?what if all she wanted was just have a little fun with him like she did with Paolo.Ross stood up,put his pants on and pick up the rest of his clothe.He left the room and went downstairs trying not to make any noise,so Monica wouldn't notice him.It would be too complicated to explain her what had happen,specially when not even him understood it yet.He entered to his room,pick a couple of towels and went to the bathroom to take a shower,thinking that it may help him to clear his thoughts  
  
When he left the badroom he saw Monica having breakfast on the table by herself  
  
"Hey Ross.How did u sleep last night?"asked Monica smiling at her big brother  
  
"Good.Why?"asked Ross kind of nervouse  
  
"And Julie?how did she sleep?"  
  
"Why should I know?"asked confused Ross  
  
"Didn't u sleep at Julie's last night?cause when I got home last night I notice u weren't on ur bed,and that clothes you're holding in ur hand is the one u were wearing yesterday"said proudly Monica  
  
"At Julie's?.yes.yes.I slept at Julie's.it was fine.u know.we just..sleep"rambled nervous Ross.  
  
"OK.I was just asking"  
  
Ross entered to his room to get dressed  
  
"Have u seen Rachel? yelled Monica from the table area  
  
"She's not home.she went to classes"yelled back Ross  
  
"Classes?Rachel?that's weird"commented Monica as Ross opened his room door,and headed to the kitchen"the guy she slept with last night must have been really boaring,I mean,if she run out like that"  
  
Hearing his sister comments Ross almost dropped the cup he was holding"WHAT?I mean wha.what guy?"  
  
"I know she slept with somebody last night.I mean,come on,we share a wall.But it wasn't Paolo,cause I saw him last night with another girl.U know what,for what I hearded the guy was pretty good"said Monica grinning  
  
"Really?"asked Ross really pround  
  
"I would even said he was better than Paolo.But I have no idea who he was and the curiosity is killing me.Did u see anybody?"  
  
"mm,no,nobody..no"replied nervously Ross"Mon..u..shouldn't ask her..maybe it was someone important for her...u know,something special..the beginning of a stable relationship...and maybe she hasn't told u anything untill feeling sure"  
  
"It could be.Or it could be just another night stand"  
  
Ross felt her stomach acheing "just another night stand?could be?"  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel arrived to the Central Perk with her head in the clouds,she didn't know what to do,or what to feel,everything had happened so fast and now she was really confused.But most than cofused she was scared,scared of having made the biggest mistake in her life,scared of making the wrong decision about this,but above all things,she was scared of losing Ross.  
  
"Hey Rach!"greeted Monica  
  
"Rach,I wrote a new song...wanna hear it?"asked happyly Phoebe  
  
Rachel didn't answered.She was deep in thoughts and didn't realize her friends were talking to her  
  
"RACH!"Monica waved her hand in front of Rachel's face  
  
"Yeah.wha.what?"replied Rachel,snapping back to reality  
  
"u were like in a whole different world"comented Phoebe  
  
"Yeah.I know"  
  
"What happened?"asked Monica  
  
"I,I,I made a HUGE mistake I.."Rachel trailed,she couldn't tell Monica she'd slept with Ross"I was feeling kind of depress yesterday cause I caught Paolo in bed with another girl"  
  
"Oh Rach,I'm so sorry"said Monica hugging her  
  
"No it's ok,ur bro...I mean a friend,cheered me up.but I kinda end up sleeping with him"said Rachel feeling really guilty  
  
"Yeah I heard"said Monica rolling her eyes  
  
"Rachel's new lover.who's the lucky guy this time?"asked joking Phoebe  
  
"Someone who shouldn't have been,he's a friend u guys have never met"replied Rachel nervous  
  
"A friend of ur who we don't know?"asked Monica really curious  
  
"Yes Mon,I have other friends,he's a classmate"  
  
"But Rach,all ur classmates are gay"said Phoebe  
  
"Well,he's not.Can I go on with my problem?"  
  
"yes, go on,I'm sorry"apologized Phoebe  
  
"Thanks Pheebs.Well,the thing is,I slept with him last night.And when I woke up today I realized that it had been a HUGE mistake.I feel like after all the bad luck I've had with relationships I'm just not ready,and I don't wanna hurt him"  
  
"And he wants a relationship with u?"questioned Monica  
  
"I think so.The whole sex thing is really important to him,he has said to me a thousand times he doesn't sleep with girls just because.And he has a girlfriend now,and I was the one who push him into the dating world again"  
  
"And this misterious friend,is important to u?"asked Phoebe  
  
"Very important.God,he's so perfect and so dreamy.He's always taking care of me,and worring about me...and he loves me so much.He's sweet,caring,gentle.And has the most wonderful eyes"said Rachel with a love expresion on her face  
  
"I don't think u should worry that much,u're head over hills for him"  
  
"I couldn't agree more with Phoebe"replied Monica"Ur eyes shine when u talk about him"  
  
"In love?no,I can't be in love with him,that's impossible"  
  
"Why is impossible?"asked Phoebe"does he has like two heads or something?"  
  
"No but,but he's like my best friend.And u don't fall in love with ur best friend.That's like a rule or something"  
  
"But what's so bad about falling in love with ur best friend?"asked Monica,thinking about Chandler"I think is perfect.It can be the most amazing relationship in u're whole life.He can even be the love of ur life"Phoebe and Rachel looked at her wondering what was she talking about"At least,that's what I've seen with Phoebe and Joey.Isn't it Pheebs?"  
  
"First of all,Joey and I aren't in a relationship.We are free spirits,remember?But Monica's right,a relationship with ur best friend can be wonderful,but also really dangerous.And second of all,wasn't ur best friend Ross?"  
  
Hearing Phoebe's comment,Rachel got even more worried and nervous than she already was.Phoebe looked at her for a while,there was something in Rachel eyes telling her she wasn't telling them everything"U SLEPT WITH ROSS!"Yelled Phoebe  
  
"Ross?"questioned Monica"No Pheebs,she couldn't have slept with Ross cause he."Monica trailed when she saw Julie entering to the coffe house  
  
"Hey girls"said Julie aproaching to them"has any of u seen Ross?"Monica looked at Julie a bit confused"No,I mean,I last saw him this morning,when he was arriving home from ur place"  
  
"My place?"asked Julie oddly"Ross didn't go to my place this morning.In fact,I haven't seen him since yesterday"Monica looked at Rachel who was completetly blushed with a guilty look on her face"I was looking for him cause he called me a while ago to tell me there was something he we hended to talk.I just thought he would be here"  
  
"No we...we haven't seen him.Sorry"said Monica  
  
"It's ok,I'll try to call him again.Thanks girls"  
  
"U're welcome"replied Monica as Julie left the coffehouse.Then she turned around to face Rachel"U SLEPT WITH ROSS!?...Oh my God...I can't believe I was talking about my brother this morning.How grosse!"  
  
"What...no.no it..It wasn't Ross"lied Rachel "I told u it was a class mate...I..." Rachel looked at both of her friends and couldn't handle it anymore...she covered her face with both of her hands and started to cry "It shouldn't have happen!...ever!"  
  
"Rach,honey please don't cry" said Monica hugging her friend "come on, don't cry.And tell us what happen.But please,no details"  
  
"U promise you won't get mad at me Mon?"  
  
"Why would I get mad at u hun"  
  
"Cause...cause it's ur brother...and...u know...God...I need fresh air"  
  
"Why don't we go for a walk and u tell us what happened?" suggested Phoebe  
  
"Ok"  
  
*~*  
  
"Hii" said Ross in that special way he has entering the boys' appartment  
  
"Wow dude...what happened?" asked Joey who was sitting on one of the chairs  
  
"It's over"replied Ross  
  
"What's over?"asked Chandler  
  
"Me and Julie...I just broke up with her"  
  
"Why?"Chandler and Joey asked amazed"I thought u were happy with her"added Chandler  
  
"Yeah well...I thought that too,but something happened with Rachel"  
  
"Rachel?I thought u were over her"comented Chandler  
  
"Well no, I'm not.Specially not now,and I can't be with Julie if I'm thinking about Rachel the whole time"  
  
"That makes sence.I'm sorry man" Chandler patted Ross on the back "I still think u have to forget about her, nothing's gonna happen and u know it"  
  
"That's the thing man,something already happened,last night.We sort of... slept together?"  
  
"WHAT?!"Chandler almost tripped with the news and Joey stare at Ross with the eyes wide open,so amazed that he had stopped eating the slice of pizza he was eating  
  
"But how.I mean.wow.this is huge!!"was all Chandler could said  
  
"I know"smiled Ross"it was amazing.If I ever had a tiny doubt about my feelings for her,well..now they're all gone..I love her man"  
  
"U should tell her then.if something already happened,u have to tell her how you feel,she might feel the same way about u" suggested Chandler  
  
"No, I can't tell her now.If I tell her how I feel she'll run,cause that's what she does,and I know that better than anyone,and it's the last thing I want to happen"  
  
"But this time is different"said Joey"I mean,it's u..u're not anyone"  
  
"I know,but I don't wanna get my hopes to high. What if this was just another night for her"  
  
"Rach wouldn't do that to u. I mean, I've been with A LOT of women, and none of them has ever treated me like she treats you. Well, none of them except Phoebe"  
  
"Joe is right man. You have to talk to her"  
  
"I know I have. I'm just... scared, you know"  
  
"I know man. Why don't we go get a coffe, maybe the girls are there, and u can talk to her already" suggested Chandler  
  
"Good idea man"  
  
To be continue... 


	7. BOYS & GIRLS 7

BOYS & GIRLS - Chapter 7  
  
"Do you love me?"  
  
The question took Rachel off guard. Love? Ross?. A lot of people had asked her the same question, but this was the first time she even considered it  
  
"Ross.. I..." Rachel was speachless, she just didn't know how to answer  
  
"The night we spent together" interrupted Ross "was the most wonderful expercience I've had on my entire life. For the first time I felt totally happy, I felt complete... I saw my life from a whole different perspective and nothing scared me. Not next test, or pleaced my parents... my future, nothig mattered for me on that moment, cause I was there... with you, and that was all I needed... it was just you and me, the rest of the world just stop excisting. I felt like nothing else had any importance as long as you were on my arms. I still can't understand why this whole thing was a mistake for you, cause nothing had ever been more right for me"  
  
Rachel was speechless "I... I didn't know you felt that way... I. I don't know what to say"  
  
"You don't have to say anything... I don't need you to say something... and I don't want you to feel sorry for me either... I don't want your pitty. I should have known you were gonna react this way cause anything that even comes close to real intimacy terrifies you, just the simple idea of feeling something for someone makes you run away... I'm not Chip, or Steve, and I'm pretty sure I'm not a player like Paolo. But all this doesn't matter now, I'm not gonna bother you anymore. You don't have to feel guilty for me"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Rachel, still really confused  
  
"I'm leaving in two days" replied in a hard tone Ross  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I'm leaving... I'm going to England for a couple of years. to get my PHD"  
  
"But... but you said to me that you could make it here?... why do you have to go?"  
  
"Cause there's nothing to keep me here, is it?" he asked her looking into her eyes, giving her the last chance to take what he was offering. Rachel didn't reply. It was just too much information in too little time, she was still speachless  
  
"Yeah I thought so" said Ross in a bitter tone "now if you excuse me there are some pappers I need to pick up, so I'll be on my way to get the plane tickets"  
  
"Why... why are you doing this to me?" was all Rachel managed to say  
  
"Why am I doing this to you?" almost yelled Ross really pissed "I'm not doing ANYTHING to you, I'm doing this for ME. Here's a breaking news to you Rachel... MY WORLD DOESN'T REVOLVES AROUND YOU. Would you grow up already?!, stop being so selfish once and for all"  
  
Ross stormed to his room, and then left the house, slamming the door. He was really mad at Rachel. He still had a tiny hope that she will ask him to stay, but she didn't, and that was IT. He wasn't gonna let her ruin his life, he needed to get away, get a new life... away from her and from all the heartaches she had given him this past 3 years. Everything was just not worth it anymore.  
  
"Do you love me?" Ross' question was all Rachel could think about while she cried on the house "How can I know" she said to herself "how can I know if I love him... I've never known how it feels..."  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel had been laying on her bed holding a pic of her and Ross for the past two days crying, she just couldn't stop snobbing. Imagine her life without Ross was harder than she had thought, and that was killing her.  
  
Monica and Phoebe checked on her constantly, but she just didn't wanna see anyone. Ross had left to his parent's house a bit after his argument with her and hadn't return ever since, so she hadn't had the opportunity of talking to him again, although that wouldn't had made any difference... she still wasn't sure if what she was feeling was love.  
  
"Hey Rach" greeted Phoebe entering Rachel's room "how are ya feeling?"  
  
"Like sh¡t Pheebs" replied Rachel, covering her face with a pillow "I really wanna be alone"  
  
"I know... but I'm not gonna leave you alone. You have to get up from that bed and run to tell him what you feel, you're still on time"  
  
"Pheebs, I still don't KNOW what I feel for him"  
  
"I think you know... you just don't wanna accept it. Rachel, you KNOW Ross is more than a friend for you. Come on!!, if it was Chandler or Joey the one leaving you wouldn't be this affected... and you know it" Phoebe hugged her "beside... he's your lobster, I've always known that"  
  
"He's my what...?" asked Rachel breaking the hug  
  
"He's your lobster... I told Ross the same thing the day we met, I've always known you two are meant to be together... you're just perfect for each other"  
  
"But... but what do you mean with that 'lobster' thing?"  
  
"Well, it's a known fact that Lobsters fall in love and mate for life Rach, and that's how it's going to be with Ross... something for the rest of your life. But I can't be the one telling you what you feel, altough is pretty obvious for me and for the rest of the gang... you just have to realize it by yourself. And I think you'll have to realize it between the next 2 hours, cause Ross' plane is leaving at 4pm"  
  
"At... at 4?"  
  
"Yup... you need to make up your mind soon... I just came to tell you that" said Phoebe before leaving her alone in her room one more time  
  
Rachel sit on her bed and looked at the pic she had on her hands. It was from a road trip the gang took after her first year in college. She had broken up with Steve a couple of month before, and was still feeling a little down back then. The picture showed her and Ross sitting on a rock with a lake behind them, he was hugging her in a really sweet way, and she was smiling, that had been the first time she smiled that day, she could remember the moment that pic was taken like it was yesterday... she had been feeling down all day, not just because of the Steve thing, but also cause her parents were splitting up and she was feeling totally alone  
  
***FLASHBACK***FLASHBACK***  
  
Rachel was sitting on a rock by herself, far away from the rest of the gang, deep in her thoughts. Ross approached to her with a beer on one hand and a diet coke on the other. He sat next to her and handed her the diet coke, she looked at him and thanked with a really weak smile. Both remained silent for a while.  
  
"Come here" said Ross hugging her "it's ok... you know you can cry your eyes out if you want" Ross kissed her forehead  
  
"I don't wanna cry... I'm tired of crying... this whole thing about my parents had made me wonder a lot of things"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I know they didn't love each other that much... but I'm affraid I'll never find someone who loves me, and who will love me forever... I don't wanna end up like them"  
  
"But you can't find the right person if you shut your heart for love, you should give it a try..."  
  
"Look who's talking" joked Rachel  
  
"It's different Rach, cause I'm in love..." he said looking straight into her eyes, giving her shivers down the spine "I'm deeply in love with somebody, I know she's the right one, but I'm too coward, I'm affraid of telling her"  
  
"Really Ross... in love?!... wow!"  
  
"Yeah, I am. And there's a guy out there for you too. A guy who will kill for you to give him a chance to make you happy. The problem is that if you keep this 'I don't need anyone' attitud, you'll never notice him"  
  
"You think?... but... but how am I going to know when the right guy comes in my way?... I mean... what does it feel like?"  
  
"Weren't... weren't you in love with Steve?" asked Ross kind of nervous  
  
"I thought I was... but how can I know... I mean, he made me feel some really great things, but I have nothing to compare it... explain me what do you feel for that girl... and I'll tell ya' if I was in love"  
  
"Well..." started Ross, as he held her hands and looked into her eyes one more time "She's the reason why I wake up every morning and the sun doesn't come until I see her gorgeous smile. And when she speaks, her voice is like a sweetest lullaby, you know... peaceful and beautiful. Her eyes are the two most amazing emeralds in the whole world, and her hair is more soft and perfect than the most expensive silk. When I see her, my stomach hurts and I feel like I can't breath, my legs start shaking, and the head spins me around, but inspite of all that is the most wonderful feeling in the whole world, cause it cames with an absolute peace and warm. Not to see her, would be like one day without sun. And when she cries, all I want is to hold her, protect her, kiss her and make her feel like everything will be ok, make her feel like anything that whatever is wrong I can make it right, cause for her I'd be able to do even the imposibles, I'd go to the moon and back in a day if she wants so. There are so many things she makes me feel Rach, it's too hard to put the rest in words. But when it's love, you just know it, without much explanation or definition. You just know it... you just feel it"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
Rachel remembered she had wanted with all her heart to be that girl, to be loved that way, without knowing she really was that girl... Now she knew it, and yet she was letting him slip away "Oh my God!..." said Rachel to herself "he was right... you just know it".  
  
She go up really quickly, grabbed her coat and stormed out.... Ross couldn't go, she loved him, and she knew it now... she wouldn't let him go... not this time  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel left the house running, leaving the rest of the gang stunned  
  
"For a girl who hasn't left her bedroom in 2 days, she really knows how to run" commented Chandler  
  
"Where's she going?" asked Monica  
  
"I think she finally realized she's in love" replied Phoebe grinning  
  
Luckyly Rachel took the first cab that passed by, she only had half hour to catch Ross before he had to take the plane, and she couldn't be a minute late or she'd lose him this time forever.  
  
"To La Guardia airport" she said to the driver "and please do it as fast as you can"  
  
"I'm sorry miss, but there's a huge traffic-jam on the way to the airport"  
  
"There's no other way to get there?" she asked concern  
  
"I'm affraid not. But I'll see what I can do"  
  
*~*  
  
Rachel looked at her match one more time, like she had done for the past 20 minutes "3:57, and I'm still here". She was stuck on a traffic that seemed not wanting to move, and still she was 10 minutes away from the airport "I'll never get there on time" she thought as she started to cry again.  
  
"Don't cry miss" said the driver "We'll get there, and if it's mean to be, u'll catch him... don't worry"  
  
The cab finally parked on the front of the airport and Rachel got out of the car running. She looked at her watch once again, it was 4:21. She run all over the place looking for him, waiting that hopefully he hadn't left. But it was too late, he was on his way to England, and she was on her way to never find the real love again. "This is the part on the movie where I ran into the plane, sat next to him and told him that I love him" she thought "but real life never is like a movie". She sat on the waiting area and looked around one more time. She deserve it, she thought, she had hurt him so bad so many times before, and now was her turn. Simple as that. "How could I be so blind?" she said as she started to cry once again "He was standing in front of my the whole time and I never saw him".  
  
She stood up to leave, she didn't had anything else to do there, she wipe her tears and walk toward the main door. "I guess it wasn't meant to be" she said to herself looking down, not paying attention to where she was walking to, causing her to bump into a pile of bags.  
  
"Are u ok?" asked the owner of the bags, helping her standing. "Rachel?"  
  
Rachel looked up for the first time "Ro... Ross??... what are u doing here?"  
  
"I could ask u the same question, and yet mine would make more sense... I'm going to England, remember?"  
  
"Yeah, I know... but u took the 4 o'clock plane"  
  
"No, I changed my fly for the 5:30pm one... can u tell me now what are U doing here?... I thought we put things pretty clear the other day" he said coldly, avoiding her eyes  
  
Rachel took out the picture of her and Ross she was looking at that afternoon from her purse and showed it to him "do u remember this road trip?"  
  
Ross looked confused at her, he had no idea what was the point of all these "Yes, vividly. U were really sad that day" he said as he looked at the picture and smiling a bit "And I made u smile"  
  
"As so many times after that, u've always had the power of making me smile when I'm feeling down" he raise his eyes from the picture and finally met hers for a tiny moment, he couldn't let himself fall into that again, it'd make everything even harder than already was "Remember the conversation we had that day?" she asked  
  
"What conversation?... we spent the whole afternoon talking"  
  
"When I asked u what it felt like to be in love..., remember?"  
  
"Yes, I remember"  
  
"The girl u were talking about... was her me?" she asked shydly  
  
"Yes, it was u" Ross looked away for a moment, he couldn't take this anymore "What do u really want here Rach?"  
  
"You have no idea how many times I remembered that conversation and wanted to be that girl. I still can't believe I was so blind that I couldn't see I actually WAS thet girl. Ross, please don't go"  
  
"I can't stay here and carry on with the whole 'I'm ur best friend' act Rachel, it hurts too much and I'm tired of it"  
  
"But... but... u still don't get it, do u?"  
  
Rachel looked at him, he was looking down one more time, both of them remained silent for a while  
  
"Ross, I love you" she said approaching to him  
  
"What?" he asked speechless, those were the words he had always wanted to hear  
  
"I love you, and I know it now. Everything you descrived to me on that conversation, everything you said it felt to be in love, is what I feel for you, is what you make me feel... and you were right, you just know it, you just feel it. And I believe I've always known it, but I was too affraid to accept it. But you know what frighten me more?... the idea of spending the rest of my life without you. I love you Ross, I really do"  
  
"It's... it's too late now"  
  
"No. Everything that you said about the night we spent together I felt it too, and it scared me. I was scared to lose you, but I was even more scared to let myself love you, cause everytime I let love in somebody comes along and took it away and it hurts so bad. And this time the feeling is even stronger and bigger than I've ever felt, and if by any chance I'd get hurt, I don't think I'll be able to recover from that. But I'm tired of being afraid"  
  
"Rach I... I..."  
  
"I need you, and that's a really hard thing for me to accept, but it's a whole lot easier than imagine my life without you. You're my lobster Ross" said Rachel in her last attempt of convincing him  
  
"Lobster?" asked Ross confused  
  
Rachel smiled at him "Phoebe told me that lobsters fall in love and mate for life, and that just like the lobsters, our life is something for the rest of our lifes, no matter what"  
  
Ross just looked at her, without saying anything, he didn't know what to do, or what to say, or even if all this was real.  
  
Rachel looked at him, he had an expressless look on his face, she just couldn't read them. What was he thinking? She didn't know. There was just one last thing to do.  
  
She grabbed him by the jacket and kissed him "does that makes the things more clear for you?" she said after breaking the kiss.  
  
He looked at her face one more time, he knew every curve, every inch of her face, he had memorized it a thousand times, and yet everytime he looked at her she seemed more beautiful "No, but maybe this will" he said before kissing her one more time, this time more long and filled with all the love he wanted to give her.  
  
They broke the kiss and remained hugging for a while  
  
"All passengers for fly 2458 to London, please abord through gate 24B"  
  
"Ok" said Ross breaking the hug "I think that's me"  
  
"What?" asked Rachel heartbroken "you're... you're leaving anyway?!"  
  
"You haven't asked me to stay" replied Ross grinning.  
  
Rachel hit him placefully on the chest and kissed him one more time "please stay honey!" she said with a sweet voice  
  
"Ok" he replied kissing her again  
  
*~*  
  
Ross and Rachel entered to the house still kissing and holding each other, they couldn't just let go. Ross drop one of the bags he had on one hand when he put his hand or Rachel's face. The hit of the bag on the floor made a big noise, and it took Monica and Chandler, who were fooling around on the couch without noticing Ross and Rachel precense, out of guard.  
  
"What was that?" asked Chandler, standing up "Ross?! Rach?!.. what... what are you doing here?"  
  
"Ross!!?" screamed Monica also standing up  
  
Ross let go of Rachel, and walk towards the couch "WHAT WERE YOU DOING TO MY SISTER?" yelled at Chandler  
  
"We were just... we were just..." replied nervous Chandler  
  
"You and Chandler?" asked Rachel with a hurt look on her face "and you didn't tell me anything?"  
  
"We just... we just... we didn't want anyone to find out until we were sure this was going somewhere" said Monica "but then the whole secret thing kind of get out of control... I'm sorry Rach"  
  
"It's ok... it's ok... I don't care" said Rachel still really hurt "I just thought we were best friends, but it's ok now"  
  
"See what you did..." said Ross, still very pissed "You made Rachel cry"  
  
"Are u... are u two together?" asked Monica  
  
"Yes" replied Ross smiling as he hugged Rachel who was also smiling  
  
"Congratulations man!!" said Chandler hugging Ross  
  
"My brother and my best friend... this is so great" said Monica hugging them too  
  
Phoebe and Joey entered to the house as the rest of the gang was still hugging each other in a big group hug  
  
"Hey!, why are you all hugging without us?" complained Phoebe  
  
"Ross and Rachel are together" said Monica, lifting her head from the hug  
  
"And Chandler and Monica too" added Rachel  
  
Phoebe and Joey joined to the hug "we kind of knew about Chandler and Monica... but I'm so happy for you and Ross!!" said Phoebe  
  
The gang remained loked in a big hug group for a while. After they broke it, everybody's mood was way better  
  
"That's what I needed" comented Phoebe  
  
"Yeah I know... me too" said Rachel giving Ross a pick on the lips  
  
"See, I told ya when we all met... 3 girls and 3 boys, I knew we will end hooking up between us"  
  
"Yeah well, you've always had faith on us Pheebs" said Ross looking at Rachel "since day one"  
  
"And you have faith on us honey?" asked him Rachel  
  
"More than on anything in the world" replied Ross before kissing her one more time  
  
"HEEEEY!!... GET A ROOM!!" yelled Phoebe joking  
  
"Let's?" asked Ross smiling  
  
"Let's" replied Rachel smiling back at him  
  
Both run upstairs giggling  
  
"Animals" yelled joking at them Monica  
  
THE END...  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Ok, that was my first fic. It was a lame end, I know. But it turns out that it was the hardest part to write, I don't know why  
  
I'm already working on a new fic, but I won't post it until I have the whole thing written, cause I don't want to get blocked on the middle of the fic, I hate when writters don't end up their fics  
  
Please review the whole thing now. I really hope you liked it, cause I love writting it 


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